


Sinless; A Garak/Bashir Mystery

by LaDemonessa



Series: The Garak/Bashir Mysteries [2]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: M/M, The Garak/Bashir Mysteries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-12
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-02-08 12:05:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 74,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1940439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaDemonessa/pseuds/LaDemonessa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Second installment of The Garak/Bashir Mysteries</p><p>A Vedek approaches Garak with evidence that her niece may have been murdered by a high ranking Bajoran official. Julian and Garak work together to bring her killer to light as their relationship continues to progress and an even bigger mystery begins to unfold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Vedek's Dilemma

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: Charlene Vickers helped me keep my eye on the prize and really deserves a co-author credit for everything she has done to help me with this story. She stayed up for almost 24 hours to help me hammer out the plot of the mystery, she came up with most of the characters names, and she beta'd this story for me-let's just say, if it turns out to be a good read, it is mostly because of her doing. I just provided the voice and the key strokes.
> 
> First and foremost, this is dedicated to Charlene Vickers, my psychically conjoined twin (I can't gush enough about her, honestly), for Mark Stanley, my sweet baby brother who wanted more (Honey, you got more. You owe me--big time.), and lastly, to Sophie Masse, also known as BGM, who will always be my sister in slash--I don't know where you are, but if you find this, I know you'll enjoy it.

Sinless; A Garak/Bashir Mystery  
The second story in The Garak/Bashir Mysteries

 

\---  
Chapter One: The Vedek's Dilemma  
\---

The clicking of the knitting needles soothed Garak as he watched the sweater he was creating for his lover come into being. The silky soft Bajoran cotton slipped though his fingers; he cleared his mind of every thought, concentrating only on the stitches and bindings, and combining the deep bronze yarn with the lighter gold in a simple yet elegant pattern. He wore a pair of spectacles over his eyes as he stared intently at his work, his long, nimble fingers weaving the patterns and working with the plain metal tools in his hands. The shop had been fairly empty that day thanks to the lull that followed the annual festival season. Business wouldn't pick up again until the harvest began on the main continent next month, bringing farmers and tradesmen eager to sell the fruits of their labors and spend the proceeds. Fresh produce was always in demand for those who were tired of eating replicated foods, and several restaurants aboard Deep Space Nine specialized in its preparation.

The few customers who had stopped by stared curiously at the older Cardassian, amused to see him seated in a comfortable chair at the counter knitting his sweater with the spectacles perched on his nose. Some snickered, some stared, and a few of the station's inhabitants merely shrugged and chalked it up to Garak's eccentric ways. Even Julian Bashir, his lover of only a few weeks, looked at him oddly. Garak was so intent on the motion of his hands he didn't notice him approach until the other man was practically standing over him.

"If your eyes are hurting you, I could take you to the infirmary to have them checked," Julian said, looking highly amused.

"What? Oh! Hello, Julian," Garak said with a wide smile, tilting his head up for a quick kiss. "No, that's all right, I only use them occasionally. The Retinax V solution makes me nauseous and I only have a slight astigmatism. For a Cardassian my age, I happen to be very fit, as well you should know." He winked flirtatiously, then finished the last stitch and arose from the chair, stretching his sore back. "Is it lunch time already?"

"Not quite. In fact, I came by to tell you I won't have time for lunch today. The captain wants me to go down to Bajor with him, and I figured I'd stop by and give you the bad news personally," Julian said, picking at the knit work curiously. "What is this?"

"It's a sweater," Garak said, removing the spectacles and gesturing toward him, "for you. I thought you might like it just to lounge in on your off hours." He rubbed his knuckles. "I'm a little out of practice, but it's coming along nicely, I think."

"You knit?" Julian asked dubiously.

"Yes: why? Haven't you ever seen anyone knit before?"

"My mother and my aunts," Julian said, leaning on the counter. "It's not something you'd expect out of a former spy, though. It's something you'd expect old ladies to do in their spare time. I always imagined you'd be more interested in chess or some other game of strategy for relaxation, not knitting and purling the day away."

"Then you obviously don't know a lot about this kind of yarn work." Garak arched one eye-ridge in a gesture of superiority. "It keeps the hands limber and it's very relaxing, almost meditative. Several of the greatest warriors, assassins, and sportsmen in history knitted, including many a battle-scarred Klingon, believe it or not." Garak shrugged. "Not that I aspire to be a Klingon, but I don't often get the chance to work with yarn and, unlike your holonovels and strategy games, when I'm done, not only are my hands exercised and my mind clear, but I actually have something tangible to show for my labors." He held the half-finished sweater against his amused lover and smiled. "That looks like it's going to be a nice fit, don't you think?"

Julian chuckled and laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You are something else, Elim Garak. Most people would be cursing my parentage for skipping out on them for the third time this week and here you are knitting me a sweater." He pulled Garak close and laid a sweet kiss on his lips. "I'm a lucky man to have you."

Garak felt his body lighten and his senses tingle at the intimate gesture. "You have me, then?" he asked coyly.

"Twice last night and I believe you managed to catch me once too, or have you forgotten," Julian growled softly in his ear and Garak flushed warmly. "I wish I weren't so busy today or I'd play hooky and remind you."

Garak nuzzled Julian's cheek and asked, "Are you coming over later then?"

"Hopefully." Julian stepped back and smiled broadly. "I really should start leaving a few more things at your place. This getting up in the middle of the night and going back to my quarters is getting old."

"Maybe...we could change our routine, then?" Garak ventured. "Perhaps we should rethink our arrangement a little?"

"That's a great idea," Julian said, settling a warm hand behind Garak's neck and threading his long fingers through the Cardassian's silky black hair. "Why don't you start meeting me in my quarters instead. Your shop doesn't open until after my shift starts so you'd have more than enough time to go home and change."

"That...sounds good," Garak said, more than a little disappointed that Julian didn't get the hint.

Julian kissed the tailor one last time and gave him a quick pat on the behind. "Thank you for the sweater, sweetheart." He grinned, "Look at you! Only three weeks together and we're already practically settled. See you tonight!"

Garak stared after him as he rushed away toward the infirmary, the doctor still blissfully unaware of the effect his words had left behind. "Settled." The word left a bitter taste in his mouth. He picked up his knitting and sat back down, "Only old women knit, eh? You're getting to be an old fool, Garak," he muttered. Julian was more right than he knew. After they had captured Colonel Ranol, the Bajoran extremist and drug lord responsible for infesting DS9 with a narcotic known as Orange D, Julian Bashir had taken Garak to the infirmary, fixed his bruises and cuts, and then proceeded to take Garak to his quarters where they had made mad, passionate love for the first time. Since then, they had spent nearly every evening in Garak's quarters where they began the night with a simple meal followed by lovemaking, after which Julian would take a quick shower and go home.

At first, the arrangement had worked well for Garak. It had started out as a - what was the term Julian had used – quick roll in the hay, but then Garak's age and nesting instinct had taken over and he had grown used to the doctor's presence in his quarters. There was probably some deep-seated psychological reason for it, Cardassian nature combining with a lack of childhood nurturing he supposed. He picked up his knitting and began to soothe himself with the click-clack of the needles again. As a child he had been hidden away, never afforded the love or comforting touch of a parent. As an adult, he learned the first time one of his lovers was killed for just knowing him that having a private life was a detriment to an agent.

He'd grown used to the solitude of his life in exile in as much as any Cardassian could, using the wire the Order had implanted to release a constant stream of endorphins until it had malfunctioned. After Julian had removed it and saved his life a few years back, he decided he needed to create a community around him in order to combat the loneliness that almost destroyed him. Survival instinct won out. Slowly, he had reached out to the denizens of the station and the Federation personnel, which led to him building up a fairly successful business. Despite Garak's best efforts though, he had never truly felt like one of them. He felt he would always be an observer, living among them but not a part of them. Garak never forgot he was a man without a homeworld, but just when he had begun to accept that, Julian had worked his way into Garak's life and into his heart. Now, much to his chagrin, he was very much in love with the human doctor who was almost twenty years his junior. Well and truly trapped. Tain would be amused.

It had started with the light touches Julian rewarded him with throughout the day, the soft kisses and thoughtless caresses which told more of his affection toward Garak than mere words ever could. Those brief moments of physical contact had become addictive, and every night the tailor schemed to make his beloved Julian stay just a little longer. Julian had finally started sleeping over the whole night on his weekends off, bringing some toiletries and allowing Garak to provide him with a change of clothes and space in his wardrobe for his things. There were two toothbrushes on the sink, and there were always Medical Journal PADDs sitting on the counter near the toilet for Julian to peruse as he slowly began the process of waking up and facing the day.

For Garak, their relationship had been building for five years, finally culminating into intimacy in the last three weeks. This was the reasoning of a 50-year-old Cardassian starved for companionship, however. It was painfully obvious even to Garak that although Julian Bashir cared for him deeply, the 31-year-old doctor wasn't as eager to move their relationship to the next level. For Julian, their relationship began the night he laid Garak on soft white sheets and made eager, passionate love to him in the way all young men did, filled with promise and abandon. As intimate as his behavior seemed, Dr. Bashir was still a bachelor and Garak merely a lover among many. Their relationship was currently monogamous and probably would remain so until the sex lost its bloom, but the Cardassian desperately wanted more these days. More than he suspected Julian Bashir had to offer.

"You're an idiot, Garak," he fussed aloud as he counted his stitches. "Chasing after a man almost half your age, then expecting him to be happy settling down with you when he's got a universe of fresh young things vying for his attentions." He made a disgusted sound in his throat. "Be happy with what you've got, give him his damned sweater, and don't forget to bring a change of underwear when you go sneaking into his room tonight. Oh, and don't forget to thank him before you go shuffling back to your room to fiddle with your knitting and jigsaw puzzles. The life of a former spy! Might as well call myself an old spinster and acquire a cat." He paused. "I wonder where I'd go about getting a permit for one? Oh well, with my luck, it'd mate with a vole and cause some kind of station-wide disaster. Be worse than a bunch of tribbles and cause a planet-wide run on kitty litter or something."

"And what exactly is a cat?"

Garak's head snapped up and he looked into the amused eyes of an older woman dressed in the robes of a Bajoran Vedek.

"Is that one of those domesticated Terran animals that goes about urinating on trees and eating skeletal remains?"

"No madam, I believe that's called a pog or duppy or something." He really was losing his touch, he thought. This is the second time in less than ten minutes he'd been snuck up on. "A cat is a small furry parasite that claws furniture and tends to bond with older humans. Several of the Starfleet people seem fond of them, but personally I prefer a nice wompat. They don't shed as much from what I understand." He looked at her curiously. As a rule, Vedeks rarely ventured into his shop. A few Bajorans shopped with him regularly, used to his presence and viewing him as a non-threat. He didn't recognize this woman, however. "Did you need my help with something, madam?"

"You're Mr. Garak, aren't you?" she asked, approaching him with a curious smile, "Of course you are, how silly of me. You're the only Cardassian on Deep Space Nine, correct?"

"As far as I know." Garak put his knitting aside and stood up. "I don't normally receive clergy in my shop. Do you need me to make you some ceremonial robes or perhaps you're looking for a gift for someone?"

"Actually, I am looking for something." The Vedek looked at his chair. "May I sit? It's been a busy morning for me."

"Of course." Garak moved out of the way and allowed her to sit in his chair. She picked up his knitting and examined it carefully.

"This is very fine work, Mr. Garak," she said admiringly. "I used to do this sort of thing, but my joints get so sore these days, I'm afraid my hands can't manipulate the needles anymore."

"Thank you." Garak bowed slightly in acknowledgment of the woman's praise. "It's the damp," he said, making small talk, allowing her the time to get to the point of her visit. "As my age catches up to me, I find my own joints creaking now and again. The knitting keeps me well oiled," he joked.

"For your grandson?" she asked.

Garak winced. "My...friend."

"Ah, you are a blessed man indeed then," she said, folding the knitwork carefully. "I have a friend who told me about you, in fact. She works with orphans on Bajor—Jomat Luson?"

"I remember Ms. Jomat," Garak said carefully. The conversation was beginning to go in a rather unexpected direction, and Garak began to eye the older woman with renewed interest. "Forgive me, I seem to have forgotten your name."

"That's because I neglected to give it," the Vedek said, suddenly quite serious. "My name is Merel Atina, First Vedek of the Capital Temple." She gestured to the door of his shop. "If you would be so kind as to lock the door, I have a proposal I would like to discuss with you. I'll be happy to recompense you for any lost business, Mr. Garak, so you have nothing to lose but time."

"When you grow to be our age, Vedek Merel, time becomes a very precious commodity. However," he said as he reached over and pressed the panel which closed the door to his shop and turned to face his companion, "the day is going quite slow and my lunch companion has abandoned me. Perhaps after our talk you would care to join me at the replimat."

"You don't think a Bajoran Vedek and a Cardassian tailor eating together would seem odd, Mr. Garak?" she asked.

"Not really," he answered. "I imagine it's about as odd as a Bajoran Vedek considering blackmail."

"I'm not here to blackmail you, Mr. Garak," Merel said. "Would you please sit with me?"

Garak nodded and walked over to the fitting rooms, taking a stack of hat boxes off the plush chair against the wall and dragging it over to the counter. "I'm afraid I haven't any tea or anything in the shop. I dislike having food and drink around the material."

"I'm fine." She patted the chair. "Please?"

He sat and waited quietly. He had a feeling that, as Julian would say, the other shoe was about to drop.

"I understand your reaction, but I don't believe anything Luson shared with me could damage your position on this station." She nodded her head as his spine stiffened. "I know about your connection with her, but I won't repeat the information to anyone - which is why Luson took me into her confidence to begin with. In truth, if you told the Emissary what really happened..."

"Madam, I appreciate your discretion and faith in Captain Sisko, but I assure you: even if I cared to tell anyone what happened all those years ago, they wouldn't believe me. Besides, while I do not regret making the choices I did, that was what in part led to my current situation and exile. I am still a traitor to my government, what the reasoning was behind that betrayal matters very little."

"It matters, Mr. Garak." She reached out and patted his hand, which again surprised him. "It mattered a great deal to Luson, which is one of the reasons I know I can trust you."

"Trusting me," Garak said grimly, "would signal that you are here out of desperation. I'm curious of what has you so desperate as to come to me, despite the praises of a former terrorist cell leader turned social worker."

"I'm aware of how you captured Ranol a few weeks ago and I know you have contacts within shadier parts of the Bajoran community," she said bluntly. "My grand-niece is missing...and I have been advised that she may be dead. I want you to find her, and if my informant is correct, her killer as well."

"This sounds more like something you'd bring to the police, not a tailor - despite what he may or may not have been in the past," Garak pointed out.

"I can't." Merel looked him in the eye. "I will be frank, Mr. Garak. My grand-niece is, or was, a prostitute. I've never met her. My sister and I were separated during the war and I didn't even know she'd survived. I recently received information that her granddaughter, Kel Sinles, was murdered by a high ranking political official because she was blackmailing him. If I report this to the authorities, it will ruin my career and the lives of many other people. The social programs I am trying to establish will be jeopardized and the Temple officials will be faced with a public backlash if it comes out that I, the First Vedek of the Capital Temple, abandoned my only surviving relative to a life of prostitution. Never mind that I didn't know she existed; the conservative party will say I should have at least looked for her...and they'd be right." She sighed, running a hand over her forehead wearily. "I'm not worried about my reputation, Mr. Garak. If Sinles is out there, dead or alive, she is my family and I want to do right by her, no matter what the consequences. If she's dead, I want to bring her killer to light, but I also want to be absolutely certain of his guilt before I accuse him. I need undeniable proof that he did it."

"Who is 'he'?" Garak asked, his attention entirely focused on the woman's story.

"According to my informant: First Minister Shakaar."

Garak sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. "I see."

Merel chuckled grimly. "I imagined you would."

"Who gave you the information?" Garak asked.

"Anonymous tip," she said, shaking her head. "I know, I thought it was a hoax at first, but they sent me this."

Garak took the data PADD from her and turned it on. There was a picture of a pretty young blonde Bajoran woman dressed in very stylish clothing, staring off to the side. He clicked the PADD again and the picture zoomed out. She was standing near a dais where two men appeared to be having a political debate. One was First Minister Shakaar and the other was the conservative political leader of the Bajor First Party, Krath Milnar. She seemed focused on Shakaar, her mouth soft and her large brown eyes filled with some tender emotion as she watched him make his speech. "She looks like you, only blonde," Garak noted.

"Her grandmother was my twin sister," Merel said sadly. "She must get her hair from her father or grandfather. Like I said, I didn't know Linnet had survived, much less married and had a family. I suppose she thought the same of me."

"Sinles," Garak said to himself, "what did you get yourself into, young lady?" He activated another program in the PADD and read the note detailing the information Merel had already given him. "Vedek-"

"Call me Atina, please," she interrupted. "After all, you know more about me than even my closest friends at this point."

"Well, I could say the same of you for me," Garak returned dryly. "Atina, I'm not a detective. I haven't the qualifications for this kind of work."

"Come now, Mr. Garak," Atina scoffed. "You have more qualifications than most, and you certainly have the ability to get what I need from you. Luson said you were a friend once upon a time and I trust her. Therefore, I trust you. Help me, I'm begging you."

"Ms. Jomat and I weren't exactly friends," Garak corrected her, unmoved by her words. "And no matter what you heard, a Vedek of your age and experience, no matter what forgiveness your Prophets teach you to feel toward their enemies, wouldn't trust a Cardassian merely on the say-so of an acquaintance. Why me?"

"Because, as you said, you are a Cardassian in exile," Atina said coolly. "If you betray me, the word of a Cardassian will not be believed by any Bajoran no matter what their political leanings are. Also, when I said I know everything about you, Mr. Garak, I wasn't kidding. I was Bajoran Resistance; Intelligence and Recon. You and I probably crossed paths a few times. Luckily, you never noticed. I understand you were very good at your job until you met...well, that's your personal business. I know you live quietly here and I also know about your relationship with the human doctor."

"We haven't exactly been discreet," he acknowledged with a slight nod. "As for the rest, I will take your word for it."

"He doesn't know, does he?" she asked curiously.

"No," Garak said simply. "He doesn't need to."

"Why not? I mean, if I may ask?" Her aged eyes searched his face.

"He's a good man, and yes, it would probably be something he could accept, but I need to keep my secrets. As you said, I am still a Cardassian, and always will be, exiled or not." Garak paused, "You said you were in Intelligence?"

"Yes. I served as a cell coordinator for more than thirty years."

"Impressive," he replied. "Especially since neither I nor Enabrin Tain ever caught up with you."

"Oh, he did." Merel Atina's eyes darkened. "I was questioned by some of his lower level interrogators, like any other random Bajoran, but since I was young and strong, they released me so I could work the fields and mines. I wasn't clergy then, just a girl with a strong back and not pretty enough to join a Gul's harem or refined enough to serve as a Military wife's maid. It kept me alive with the minimum of scarring and my sanity intact."

"It was a war," Garak said, not unkindly. "I, myself, was an interrogator, Tain's best. I didn't often deal with Bajorans, although I did from time to time. Saying it was under orders doesn't erase what I did, nor does it justify anything, I just did my job and I survived. As you are doubtlessly aware, my exposure of Dukat's father isn't quite what led to my exile, but it is what fueled it. That said, I know the risks one takes when they only do what they believe is right and patriotic. I know that had I buried the evidence against the elder Dukat, I would probably now be on Cardassia as head of the Obsidian Order and not a mere tailor dallying with a Starfleet doctor and sewing clothes for tourists and Dabo girls. Simply put, I know you could follow this chain of evidence yourself. You have the skills to do so, so why come to me, then? Is it because you're afraid of sharing my fate or because you're afraid of the answers? If that's the case, then even if I do tell you what happened to this girl, it won't make any difference. All I'll do is give you something else to lose sleep over."

"You do have a point, Mr. Garak," she said after a long pause. "However, I'm not afraid of being exiled; I would be ostracized, perhaps. I might lose my political connections and clout and a lot of people would be happy to see me fall on my face. I may even be killed, but I have faith in the Prophets so I don't fear retaliation. I think what I fear the most is myself and what I would feel as I delved into Sinles's life. I'm afraid that if I tried to follow this case through myself, I'd stop before I reached my goal merely because I don't want any of this to be true. I failed, Mr. Garak. I failed my mother by not keeping my promise to always stay with my sister. I failed my sister by not looking for her. I failed this girl who I never knew, because I was so driven by my need to help others that I never thought of helping my own family. Basically, I need someone whose heart and life isn't invested in this story, just in the solving of the riddle."

He allowed himself to absorb what she had told him before coming to his decision. "In that case," Garak stood up and offered her his hand. "I will accept your proposal, madam."

She looked relieved, almost to the point of tears, but she held herself together and looked him in the eye, "And your payment?" Merel took his hand and rose to her feet. "Despite my elevated status I'm still merely a member of the clergy, but I may be able to compensate you in another way. I have some political clout, for now at least. I may be able to find you a home on Bajor. It would take some doing, but you could live safely albeit simply. My order could give you sanctuary."

"I have made a home here," Garak replied, declining. "For now, given Gul Dukat's own exile, he can't reach me and I also have...other reasons for staying." He patted the knit work. "I'd prefer to merely do this as a favor to you with the knowledge that should I need it returned, my service to you will not be forgotten."

"I trust my Ranjen implicitly. Owin Grea is my chosen successor and should I go to the Prophets before you have had your debt repaid, he will honor it. If you need anything, you can talk to either of us freely." She headed to the door and turned to Garak again. "If you need access to any documents, we will provide you with whatever you need."

"Any documents relating to this, my dear madam, would be beyond even your reach. No, I think my own skills shall be sufficient."

He touched the panel and the door opened.

"I regret I cannot join you for lunch," she said with a slight smile. "When your work is done, however, I would be happy to be stared at in your Replimat by whomever passes by. In fact, should this turn out for the worse, I may ask you for a job. I used to sew all my own clothes before I entered the service of the Temple."

"I doubt it will come to that, but should that happen I think I could find you work. Good day." He smiled confidently and watched her make her way through the crowd, occasionally stopping to bless a passing Bajoran who bowed his head to her.

This had become quite an interesting morning after all. Julian would be sorry he missed it.


	2. Medical Intervention

\---  
Chapter 2: Medical Intervention  
\---

"Garak."

"Oh. Hello, Constable," Garak said in greeting as he entered the turbolift holding his yarn bag.

"I was just coming to see you." The Constable glowered at him. It was his usual expression, at least the one he used whenever he was in Garak's presence.

"Isn't it fortunate that we bumped into one another then?" Garak said brightly. "Habitat Level H-3," he ordered the lift.

"Why aren't you in your shop?" Odo asked, his arms crossed in a sign of annoyance.

"Why aren't you in your office?"

"You disabled my monitoring equipment." Odo glared at him.

"I did that a full week ago, you didn't come to me then, why are you so concerned about it now?" Garak replied as he walked out of the lift and headed toward his quarters at a comfortable pace.

"Because a week ago you didn't have an influential Vedek enter your shop and stay behind closed doors for nearly half an hour!" Odo shot back as he followed after the Cardassian.

"You know the clergy," Garak said, waving him off with a flighty gesture. "She asked that I close the doors while she had her fitting. Didn't want anyone seeing what was under the robe, I suppose."

"I don't believe you."

"I don't care."

"What were you two talking about?" Odo asked suspiciously.

"She was taking my confession," Garak folded his hands in a pious gesture and looked toward the ceiling. "I've converted. I'm thinking about designing my own earring, something with some dangle to show off my swan-like neck. As soon as I get to the jeweler to have my ear measured, I'm planning a religious retreat to celebrate! I've already offered to sell cookies to raise money for my Temple group. Care for a box of Thin Mints, Constable?"

"I am not amused," Odo replied coolly.

"You so very rarely are," Garak retorted.

"Why have you closed shop for the day?" The shapeshifter moved to stand in front of Garak, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

Garak sighed. "Business was slow so I decided to go to my quarters and take the rest of the day off."

"Dr. Bashir isn't on the station," Odo said, looking at Garak as if he'd caught him dead in a lie.

"And what does that have to do with anything?" the Cardassian asked in confusion.

"Lately, he's the only reason you've had to head back to your quarters early," Odo said meaningfully.

"Apparently you still have some surveillance equipment still working," Garak muttered. "It's very rude to eavesdrop, you know."

"I like to keep my eyes on you Garak, for obvious reasons."

"Oh, I see." Garak made a show of dropping his voice and looking at the constable with a coy smile. "My dear Odo, while I appreciate your feelings, as you pointed out, the doctor and I are in something of a relationship. Besides," he added with a wink, "I thought you had a thing for the Major?"

Odo never even blinked. "What are you up to, Garak?"

"Chamber 900," he said looking at the door beside Odo's head. "I'm headed to Chamber 901 which is down the hall, so if you don't mind?"

"I'm watching you, Garak," Odo called after him.

"And believe you me, I feel so much the safer for it, my dear Constable." Garak waved over his head and disappeared into his quarters.

\---

After replicating a quick lunch and a large pot of tea, Garak sat at his terminal and began to hack into the records of the Provisional Government. He went through every file, every scrap of information, and every press clipping he could find about First Minister Shakaar, but there was of course, no mention of Kel Sinles. He spent hours and hours glued to the screen, not looking up until the door to his quarters chirped. He got up and stretched, then walked over to the door and touched the panel. "Oh Julian, you're back already?"

"Already? You were supposed to meet me an hour ago," the doctor said in an aggravated tone. He strode into the room and looked around. "I ran into Morn and he said you closed the shop early today. What have you been doing?"

"I've been working on a project," Garak answered simply and sat back behind his desk to continue staring at the screen.

"How many sweaters are you making me?" Julian asked with his hands on his hips.

"Sweaters? No, this is something else entirely." Garak didn't even glance up, he just continued to scroll though the information, his entire attention focused on the screen.

"What kind of project? Garak, what are you looking at?" Julian walked over to the desk and peered at the screen.

"It's rude to read over someone's shoulder." Garak paused and looked toward the ceiling. "Great Gods, maybe I am getting old. It's the second time today I've felt the need to correct the manners of a grown man."

"Garak," Julian said, stepping away from the monitor slowly as if it were a bomb on its way to the last tick, "those are confidential files you're accessing."

"I'm aware of that," Garak said absently as he clicked to another document. "After all, I did go through all the trouble of retrieving them myself."

"Those are personal, confidential *BAJORAN* files! Shakaar's name is all over them!" Julian was practically shouting by the end.

"Do keep your voice down, dear man. I do have neighbors, you know." The tailor's eyes were squinted and he rubbed his temples. "Maybe I should try the Retinax solution after all. Have you any formulas that don't have such stomach churning side effects handy?"

"Let me see?" Julian patted his pockets in exaggerated confusion and said, "No. No, I don't seem to have any handy, unless of course they're JAMMED UP MY ARSE!"

"I did mention the neighbors, didn't I?" Garak asked without looking up, "Oh and, if you wouldn't mind, on your way to replicate some or however you plan on fetching it, would you mind replicating us a bite? I'm feeling a bit peckish."

Julian was practically vibrating with rage as he silently leaned against the monitor and turned to stare hard into Garak's eyes.

"Frowning like that causes lines around the mouth, you know," Garak said, unmoved.

"Tell me now why you are hacking into Bajoran Government files or so help me, I will call Odo, lover or not," Julian said coldly.

"Did you have a bad day, my dear?" Garak blinked, feeling a bit hurt. "Really, there's no need to be so callous." He watched as the doctor closed his eyes and silently seemed to count to a slow ten, then apparently thought about what he was going to say and decided a ten count wasn't long enough. As Julian struggled with controlling his anger, Garak turned off the monitor and picked up his knit work and began to fill the silence with the steady click-clack of the needles.

"What do you think you are doing?" Julian asked through gritted teeth, drawing out each word slowly.

"One of the sleeves," Garak replied, holding it out for him to see.

"Damn the sweater, man! What the hell are you up to?!" Julian growled and slammed his hand on the desk.

"Oh, you mean the intelligence gathering?" Garak sighed and continued his work. "Business is slow so I decided to diversify. It's not exactly for profit, mind you, but there could be some sort of benefit down the line."

"Diversify?" Julian asked sarcastically as he sat on the corner of the desk. "If you wanted to diversify you would have gone into jewelry making or perhaps opened a scent or gift section to your shop, you wouldn't have gone into spying on the Bajoran First Minister!"

"You know, that idea about the gift section isn't half bad. Perhaps something with tasteful souvenirs or art work? A scent shop could get cloying by the end of the day, especially if customers kept spraying it, not to mention how the oils would damage---"

"Seriously, do I look that stupid?"

"The uniform could use a little work, but that's hardly your fault," Garak offered.

"Enough with the banter," Julian ordered quietly.

Garak's hands stilled and he looked into his lover's eyes. He knew he was on dangerous ground when he saw the expression on the other man's face. Julian was beyond angry...in fact, what he saw wasn't even anger anymore. It was pain. His face was white and his eyes had a hollow, desperate look to them. The sight of his friend in this state softened his resolve.

"Fine. The truth then?" Garak sighed.

"That would be my first choice, yes." Julian said the words plainly, without even a hint of irony. "Are you back to doing business for the Cardassians?"

"No! I'm not suicidal or stupid, Julian. I could hand this station over to the Military Command with a bright red bow attached and still face a firing squad the second I touched home soil." Garak scowled. "I'm looking into the disappearance of a girl. A Bajoran girl - her family believes she may have been murdered."

"I thought you were going to tell me the truth." Julian said, sitting on the corner of the desk and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"That is the truth!" Now Garak was getting annoyed. "For five years all you've wanted from me was a straight answer, and the one time I give one I have to put up with-!"

Julian waved his hand defensively and said, "Okay! Fine! You're helping a poor Bajoran girl - okay. I can believe that. I was there five years ago when you helped that Cardassian boy and I saw you with the mixed race orphans. I know you have a soft spot for children, Garak. What I don't understand is if you're looking for some lost, and possibly murdered, girl, why are you looking into Shakaar's files?"

"Well..." Garak looked at Julian warily.

"Spit it out!"

"You won't believe me!"

"Try me."

Garak took a deep breath. "Her aunt thinks he's the one who murdered her."

Julian was quiet for a moment as he took in his companion's statement. "You're right. I don't believe you."

Garak threw up his hands in defeat and Julian got up from his perch on the desk and added, "Wait, I didn't quite mean it the way I said it. What I meant was that I believe that's what she told you, I just don't believe Shakaar is the type of person who goes around killing little girls!"

"Neither do I and neither does she - THAT'S the reason she asked me to look into this!" Garak huffing in annoyance.

"Okay, all right, calm down." Julian got down on his knees to look Garak in the eye. "I believe you. In fact, I'm going to help. I can use a few of my contacts and-"

"Julian," Garak interrupted, "You weren't the one she asked for help. It's my investigation."

"Well..." Julian patted his leg patronizingly, "You don't have to handle this by yourself. I'm perfectly willing to lend a hand, and I'm sure once we've found the remains, a trained physician will come in handy. You'll need DNA evidence, an autopsy, the whole nine yards. Plus, I did take several psychology courses at the Academy. I can provide a profile of the killer to the authorities and perhaps comfort the family if it comes to that." Julian smiled sweetly, "You don't even have to bother thanking me, as my friend and my companion, I'm more than happy to step in and assist you."

Garak stared at Julian, his mouth slightly open, not out of shock, but because he had no idea of what he should say first. A lot of things came to mind. First, that he'd never noticed how much of an ass Julian Bashir could be and how completely annoying that particular smile he was bestowing upon him was. On one hand, Julian was genuinely offering to help, and Garak was sure that in his mind, he wasn't trying to be a complete jackass. On the other hand, whether Julian had realized it or not, he had just proceeded to imply to Garak through his actions and attitude, that the elder Cardassian was somehow less than competent because the doctor had syphoned all of the Cardassian's knowledge and skills through the act of intercourse like a mosquito. Only in his case, this particular mosquito rolled over and went to sleep after sucking you dry, then proceeded to hog the covers.

"No." It was the simplest and least obscene word he could think of.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Julian asked, looking at him slightly askance.

"I mean 'no'," Garak stated, "as in, no, I don't want your help. No, I don't require your help. No, I have not gone senile merely because you've seen me naked - no, no, no, and, by the way, NO!" Garak jumped up from his chair and stalked toward the door to his quarters slapping the panel forcefully. "Now, go home and leave me to my work."

"Dammit Garak, calm down! I didn't say anything to warrant this childish reaction!" Julian shouted. "Now sit down and we can start over."

"Did you just tell me I was behaving like a child?" Garak asked slowly.

"Yes - no, damn it!" Julian ran his hand through his hair, then pointed to the couch, "Can we please sit down so I can at least apologize for sticking my foot in my mouth? Please?"

Garak thought about it. He considered a slew of violent actions mixed with inventive and obscene phases, but decided against it. He hit the panel to shut the door, then walked back to the sofa and sat down. He didn't say anything, he merely glared at Julian.

"I'm sorry," Julian said, coming to sit next to him. "I'm so sorry. I was an ass and I said the wrong thing. I, in no way, meant to imply that you were incapable of doing something like this alone. You, my darling Garak, simply blow me away. You are the most exciting, most vigorous, most intelligent man I have ever known. You are my best friend, my confidant, and if I was ever in trouble or needed help like this girl and her family, you are the one person I know I could count on to save me."

He lifted Garak's hand and kissed it, then pressed it to his cheek. "I not only get to learn from you and benefit from all of your travels and experiences, but I get to wake up next to you. Never let my stupidity or my clumsy attempts at offering to help you with something, cause you to forget that I'm here because I care for you, not Garak the tailor cum spy, but my lover. More than that, someone I could love."

"Well..." Garak felt his mouth twitch upward. "If I must, then you're forgiven."

"Thank you,"Julian leaned over and kissed Garak on the mouth softly, his tongue teasing his lips ever so slightly until the Cardassian melted into the embrace.

When they parted, Garak asked shyly, "So, you just told me you could love me."

"I did, yes." Julian smiled.

"You never said that before." Garak brushed some imaginary lint off Julian's shoulder and looked down at his shirt.

"Yes I have," Julian said with a mocking frown, "I say it every time I touch you, just maybe not with so many words."

"I must admit, I liked the words. Very much." Garak knew he had a silly grin on his face, but didn't care.

"And...do you think you could love me?" Julian asked, kissing Garak's neck and holding one of his hands.

"Perhaps," Garak breathed.

"Are you going to say it?" Julian began to nibble on Garak's neck playfully.

"I love you, Julian," Garak moaned, feeling himself begin to grow very warm and hard.

Julian took Garak's face in his hands, searching his eyes before kissing him with tender passion. He rose from his seat, pulling Garak with him. Julian then wrapped his long, lightly muscled arms around Garak's waist, again kissing him, only this time with barely contained need. Julian was so hard Garak could feel him through his clothes as their erections ground against each other. He felt all the breath leave his lungs and his vision swam. "Come with me," Julian's voice was hoarse with desire and the Cardassian followed him obediently into the bedroom.

When they got to the bed, Julian turned to Garak and kissed him again, sucking at his lips slightly. He unzipped his jacket and let it slip to the floor, then stopped kissing the other man just long enough to pull the blue turtleneck over his head where it landed by the discarded jacket. Garak looked at the smooth contours of Julian's chest, at his flat stomach and bronze flesh, and reached out to touch him. Julian tugged him close and teased his lips with his tongue and unbuttoned his tunic. Garak's clothes joined Julian's on the floor and he gasped as his human lover began to suck and bite at his throat, licking the small fleshy teardrop shaped embellishment on his chest..

Garak massaged the muscles of the other man's shoulders, enjoying the feel of the tight, smooth skin under his fingertips. He loved the way Julian smelled, spicy and exotic, his skin warm and sweet. Julian reached up and pulled Garak's hand down to his erection, grinding himself into the other man's palm. "Can you feel me?"

"Yes," Garak gasped, unzipping Julian's trousers and reaching into his underwear to hold his velvety hardness. He stroked him up and down, causing Julian to moan.

"I need you naked," Julian growled, pulling at Garak's pants and releasing his own erection. "Get on the bed."

Garak hastily finished undressing as Julian watched. He kicked off his shoes and sat down, removing his socks, then, slipping up the mattress, waiting for his lover to join him. This was the Julian he loved; dark and sleek, totally aware of his sexuality and of its effect on him. Julian slowly finished undressing himself, his eyes burning with an almost frightening intensity. How many others had ever seen this side of Julian Bashir, Garak wondered. Not many. If they had, they never would have let him go.

His black hair was slightly damp with sweat, his lean muscled body glowing with a copper sheen in the low light. He had very little hair on his chest, just a little around the flat, brown nipples and lower still, leading down to his washboard stomach. His penis was lying against his navel, hard and waiting, framed by tight, dark pubic curls that Garak longed to bury his face in.

Julian Bashir's body was a wonderland of delights.

\---

As the Cardassian greedily drank in the sight of him, Julian allowed his own eyes to steal over Garak. In the last few weeks they had been intimate with one another dozens of times, but he still delighted in the novelty of the Cardassian's naked form.

Garak was very fit and trim, his thighs well-muscled, his stomach flat and his body well kept up. He didn't look like a 50 year old man. How Garak had managed it, he didn't know. He'd never seen him work out and he knew Garak had a penchant for rich foods, but looking at his naked, sculptured physique one would never know it. This was the body of a disciplined man, Julian thought. It had been a bit unsettling to him when they first became intimate; the texture of his skin and seeing how his body reacted to his touch was a completely alien experience. His skin had a gray cast, and like a snake's flesh, it was almost glassy smooth with textured scales. He loved the embellishments and whorls that decorated his lover's body, the complexity of his form.

Garak's masculine beauty filled him with powerful emotions that he had never felt before. His cock was of a darker shade of gray, smooth and hard. Julian stepped to the bed and crawled on his hands and knees between the other man's legs, kissing his way up his thighs before running his tongue up Garak's shaft.

Julian wrapped his hand around the base of Garak's penis and began to stroke him. He opened his mouth and drew him inside, causing Garak to gasp and claw the sheets. He then used his tongue to tease the slit of his penis as he gently sucked and circled his erection with his mouth, his hand keeping a steady pressure at the base. Julian did this until Garak began to moan and shift, then he removed his mouth. Garak groaned in disappointment then gasped when he lifted his sack and began to suck and nibble at the flesh under his heavy balls above his entrance. He drew up his knees as Julian teased the forgotten erogenous zone, his strong hands gripping the Garak's thighs. Julian reached back for Garak's penis and began to suck at his cock again, this time taking him inside until he hit the back of his throat.

"J-Julian-" Garak gasped as he came.

After licking him clean, Julian looked up and grinned. He began to bite and nip at Garak's stomach playfully, his tongue dipping into his navel. He made his way upward until he got to Garak's nipples and he began to suck and tease them with his teeth, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make the Cardassian's stomach tighten with need.

Seeing Garak like this, stark need etched on his face and his breath coming in short, desperate pants; it was almost intoxicating. How Julian had managed to resist the Cardassian for the last five years was mind-boggling.

\---

Garak felt himself harden again. He gripped him under the arms and pulled him up, kissing him as Julian ground their erection's together. He tore his mouth off of Garak's and nibbled on the thick ridges on the side of his neck. Garak moaned and looked down Julian's muscled back, watching his rounded buttocks flex as he teased him.

"I need you," Garak gasped.

"Where?" Julian asked.

Garak reached out to his nightstand and fumbled for the drawer. As soon as he had the bottle in his hand he handed it to his lover. Julian smiled and sat up. He poured a small amount of the slick fluid onto his hand and stroked his own hardness then reached for Garak. The Cardassian braced himself for the coldness of the liquid, then as it warmed against his skin he began to thrust himself into Julian's fist. Julian kept one hand on Garak's erection, then, after he tossed aside the lubricant, he positioned himself at Garak's opening and eased forward gently.

Garak held his breath, then let it out slowly. He concentrated on keeping himself loose as Julian eased himself forward, giving Garak time to adjust after each tentative thrust. This was how they liked it, rough, but not too rough, with just enough lubrication to ease the penetration without losing too much of the friction. When he was in, he began to make love to Garak with long, smooth strokes, the hand wrapped around his erection keeping time with their bodies.

He looked up at Julian. His face was alert, his eyes locked with the Cardassian's as he thrust himself gently inside of the other man's body. The light from the living area made it look as though Julian was surrounded with a halo, his black hair damp against his forehead. He reached up to stroke the other man's chest, lifting his legs a little higher so he could take him further in. Garak tightened himself and watched as Julian's jaw flexed in response. Julian shut his eyes and moaned, then looked down at Garak again, something primal reflecting in his eyes. He gripped Garak's thighs and thrust hard, pounding inside of him over and over again, tenderness giving way to raw need. The Cardassian cried out, shutting his eyes hard as he came, giving himself over to the sensation of being loved by Julian Bashir. At the same time Julian shuddered above him, crying out as he felt Garak's seed splash against his stomach.

After what seemed like hours of lovemaking though it was probably only a few minutes, Julian rolled off Garak and they both gasped for air, sweat dripping from their bodies. Garak's heart was pounding so hard for a moment he thought he might be having a heart attack. "That was..." His voice sounded strange to his own ears as his thumping heart tried to drown it out. "That was good."

"Very good," Julian agreed, feeling sleepy but content.

"No, that was very, very good," Garak said in amazement. "In fact, I don't think I've ever had sex that good in my entire life."

Julian rolled on his side to face Garak, his arm propping up his head against the pillow, "Really?" He grinned, "The best you ever had?"

"Really." Garak turned to look at him, willing his sated body to move. "It was...I've never gotten an erection back that fast and that thing you did to me? No one's ever done that before."

"Which thing?" Julian asked in surprise.

"The second thing," Garak answered. "You know, when you put your mouth under there?"

"Ooh." Julian frowned. "No one's ever done that to you before?"

"No," he answered. "I guess I've never had anyone want to do that to me before now."

"So I was your first?" Julian seemed inordinately pleased with himself.

"For that, yes," Garak replied, running his hand down Julian's chest.

"I wonder if there's anything else I could do to you that you haven't done before?" Julian asked with a scandalous grin and he caught Garak's hand, then nibbled at his textured fingertips.

"You could try, you never know," Garak breathed as Julian leaned in for a kiss.

"We're going to have to take a shower later but right now all I want to do is hold you in my arms and get some sleep," Julian said, pulling Garak to him and letting the Cardassian lay his head on his chest.

"You are a treasure, Julian Bashir," he said, the thumping of the other man's heart lulling him into sleep.

"A treasure? No one's ever called me that," Julian murmured.

"You’re a treasure beyond price and I would do anything just to see you smile and to be held just like this." Garak' breathing was beginning to slow and he let his eyes fall shut.

Julian made small circles on Garak's back and caressed the tender scales between his shoulders. "Anything?"

"Mmm," Garak responded, his mind already beginning to slip away.

"So you won't mind me giving you a hand with the investigation then?"

The Cardassian's eyes suddenly popped open with anger.

"Go. Home."

"But Garak-"

"Out!"

"Garak wait!"

"NOW!"

"Listen to me dammit-!"

"I cannot believe that you ruined what could have possibly been the - you need to leave!" Garak arose from the bed, wrapping the top sheet around his waist. He stumbled slightly but didn't stop until he was through the living room and to the door, slapping the panel angrily.

"I told you I was sorry!" Julian said plaintively. Tugging on his pants and carrying his shoes with his shirt and jacket slung over his arm.

"And then you tried to manipulate me!" Garak nearly shouted, "Not that I don't appreciate your methods, DOCTOR Bashir, but I have a lot of work to do and I would appreciate it if you would go to your own quarters!"

"Well, if we can't discuss this, then at least we could just go to bed, right? It's late and we could both use some sleep. We can work this out over breakfast." Julian smiled and held out his arms invitingly.

"I think I'd rather sleep with Gul Dukat without the benefit of an antiviral chaser than spend one more minute in your company. Good night, doctor!" Garak was practically seething with anger.

Julian walked out of the door quietly then turned, "Garak, if you would just-"

"And as for needing your help with anything, *doctor*, I can damn well get the DNA myself and, if it comes to it, the autopsy, too! It can't be that hard if you could figure it out!" Garak slapped the panel and punched in a lock out sequence. If Julian Bashir wanted any more sex, he could go screw himself. "I hope you step on something sharp on the way to the turbolift!" he shouted at the closed door.


	3. Bashir goes snooping

\---  
Chapter 3: Bashir goes snooping  
\---

"Garak? Open the door! We can work this out." Julian hit the buzzer again. "Come on, sweetheart! It's just a little misunderstanding! It's our day off tomorrow and I was going to make you breakfast. You know how you like fresh scones! I have everything set up in my quarters, Garak. Open up, I'm tired!"

//Shove your scones, Bashir! And if you don't leave my door I'm calling security!//, came Garak's response over the door intercom.

Julian heard a stifled laugh and spun around to find Garak's neighbor and a female companion staring at him, snickering at his disheveled, half- dressed state as he stood gaping at the door of Garak's quarters. "Um, doc...?" Ensign Patrick said, his voice trailing off as he looked down pointedly and his girlfriend giggled.

"What?" Julian looked down and blushed. "Oh. OH!" He zipped up his pants, then quickly then doubled over in pain. "Shit! Dammit!" He tugged at his crotch and his eyes began to water profusely.

The man grabbed his girlfriend's hand and they hurried into his quarters leaving Julian cursing and pulling at his crotch. He kicked Garak's door, then howled and hopped on one foot. "Dammit!"

When there was no response, Julian limped toward the turbolifts. As he stepped inside and commanded the computer to take him to his quarters he straightened and mumbled, "This is definitely not going the way I planned."

\---

The next morning Julian awoke in his quarters with a sense of purpose. It was Friday, both his and Garak's day off. Garak always closed the shop on Fridays because it was the Bajorans' day of worship and, being the lone Cardassian on the station, the last thing he felt he needed to do was further irritate his landlords by selling his wares on their Sabbath. This meant that Garak would be holed up in his quarters hacking through Bajoran encryptions and such, smoldering over last night's fight. By now, news of their late night argument was probably all over the station, not that he cared. It was an unpleasant turn of events, yes, but it was his own fault as much as Garak's. He should have anticipated that Garak's stubborn nature would get the better of him. Julian had decided to deal with this situation in a more constructive way. He had decided to conduct his own investigation, then present the evidence to Garak with all the grace and dignity he was capable of. Garak would then apologize, and, naturally, Julian would forgive him with a gentle reminder that had he just listened, they could have worked this out much sooner.

One couldn't fully blame Garak for his behavior, really. He had put his proverbial foot in it and it was perfectly in keeping with who he was to say the absolutely wrong thing to a lover. Julian had never really excelled at the art of conversation - debate, yes, not pillow talk. His experiences in physical and emotional intimacy were somewhat limited. Since coming to Deep Space Nine, he had sex with some women and a few men, but they had mostly been Bajoran or human, and none of them had prepared him for his relationship with the Cardassian. Garak was a different experience altogether. He was a contradiction. First off, while mildly effete, he was very much a man. He had his moments of feminine hysteria, like last night, but that was probably due to his artistic temperament. At the same time, he could be very logical and highly intelligent. Once Julian showed him that he was capable of providing a valuable contribution to this investigation, he was sure Garak would let him participate.

Julian formulated a quick plan as he got dressed, opting for his uniform instead of his usual off-duty clothes. On Fridays he would either hit the holosuites for a bit of adventuring or, as of the last few weeks at least, he and Garak would spend the day together either in his or Garak's quarters or out and about enjoying one another's company. Since Garak despised the Starfleet uniforms, Julian usually wore a nice suit to their dinners or a comfortable pair of jeans and a sweater when at home.

"Sweater," Julian said quietly, reaching for the thin dark blue sweater hanging in his wardrobe and rubbing the silky weave between two fingers. He'd bought that sweater the first weekend he and Garak decided to play tourist and visit some of the newer shops along the Promenade they'd never been to before. They had a nice brunch together, then gone shopping. Garak wanted him to buy a tan sweater, saying it would better suit his complexion. He'd chosen this one instead because it reminded him of Garak's eyes. When he'd said that, Garak first looked startled, then said, "My eyes are not that color." He responded by saying that obviously Garak had never looked in a mirror when he was in the middle of an orgasm.

They quickly paid for the sweater, then spent the rest of the day in bed.

"Are you still knitting that sweater for me, I wonder?" Julian mused aloud, "Or are you so angry that you've tossed it in the recycler?"

He didn't like fighting with Garak. He just wanted things to be back to the way they were. Things had been going so smoothly up until this point and he wanted to walk into the next room and see Garak lounging on the couch doing a puzzle and humming along with whatever was playing over the computer's sound system. He wanted him back where he belonged. Although he needed his own private time during the week to refresh and regenerate, on the weekends he had gotten used to not sleeping alone. The sex was better than he ever imagined, but the lack of company, their link, is what he missed most. When he initiated his relationship with the tailor, he never expected he would wind up feeling this way.

Julian shook off the morbid mood that had come over him and quickly put on his uniform. This whole situation was spiraling out of control. He'd tried to say he was sorry the night before and Garak had thrown him out of his quarters. Now, it was Garak's turn to apologize and once he had gotten the information he needed, he'd present it to Garak and the Cardassian would rush to make amends.

Julian walked out of his quarters, took the turbolift to the Promenade, then exited, heading toward Odo's office. There were two things he could absolutely count on when it came to the constable: His paranoia and distrust of Garak, and his daily schedule which he kept with religious accuracy.

He needed to be able to identify the aunt in order to find the niece, but to do that he'd need Odo's surveillance footage. He knew, though, that if he merely told Odo what he needed, the constable (being a stickler for protocol) would contact Major Kira. Since Kira was somewhat involved with Shakaar, the investigation would likely end before it had even begun. Julian went to the little coffee shop across from the security office and waited for Odo to emerge while he pretended to type on a PADD, as he ate a bearclaw. He didn't have long to wait. Precisely at 0830 hours, Odo emerged and headed toward the turbolifts to Ops for his daily security report with Captain Sisko. Julian grabbed his PADD and casually wandered into Odo's office.

"Dr. Bashir? Isn't today your day off?"

Julian smiled at the man sitting at the receptionist desk. "Good morning, Leanis! Yes it is, but Odo needed some follow up information from that nasty business we had last month. Is he in?"

"No sir, you just missed him. Can I take the files for you?" he asked politely.

"That's okay, I can leave it on his desk. Odo said if I missed him to go right in, he left a PADD for me to read through and sign. You know how the Bajoran and Federation legal systems are - everything has to be done in triplicate. Personally, I don't understand why I have to do all this paperwork. It seems to me that we have that so called 'Colonel' dead to rights."

Tell me about it, that's all I've been working on for the last month!" Sargent Leanis said. "Normally I wouldn't let anyone into the Constable's private office, but since it's you, doctor..."

"Thanks. Odo said it would take a while. Any idea if I'll be out of here by lunch, or do I need to order in?" Bashir smiled and winked.

Leanis returned the man's grin and pointed to a large stack of PADDs on his desk. "I don't know exactly what he wants you to sign, but given what I've had to type up lately, it might take a while. I'm fairly certain you can get through it within a reasonable amount of time, though. Just make sure you read your statement thoroughly and if you find any discrepancies, let me know and I'll make any corrections you need." Leanis looked at the coffee cup in Julian's hand. "Is that from the new place across the Promenade?"

"Yes, it is. It's a pretty nice little place, actually. The pastries are wonderful." Julian lowered his voice, "If you wanted to sneak away for a few minutes and treat yourself, I promise I won't say anything."

"I couldn't-" the young man said, eyeing Julian's cup with envy. "I can wait until the constable comes back."

"Are you sure?" Julian asked, "You know how dreadfully long those meetings can get."

"No, I-well..."

Julian, seeing the man's hesitation, forced his smile to remain casual and relaxed.

"I do have to go to the head," Leanis said in a low voice. "You wouldn't mind watching the desk for me? I'll be back in five minutes, tops!"

"Grab a cup of coffee while you're up," Julian said smoothly. "And you have to get one of their doughnuts. The bearclaw I ate was as big as my head."

"Pretty good, huh?" the young man said wistfully as he looked over toward the shop. "Yeah, maybe I will-that is, if you don't mind?"

"Go on, and hey," Julian finished his coffee and handed Leanis the cup, "Mind getting me a refill while you're over there? I didn't sleep very well last ...

"Sure thing, doc!" Leanis got up from the desk and took the cup. "Want anything besides the coffee?"

"I shouldn't, but...get me one of those Develian Cream eclairs, would you? I think my waistline can handle it." He chuckled. "Just don't go blabbing about it to my patients. Wouldn't look good to see the CMO stuffing his face with sweets this early in the day!"

"Man, that does sound good!" Leanis's mouth was practically watering. "I'll be right back."

"No problem," Julian said as Leanis buzzed him into Odo's office.

"Just comm me if you need anything!" Leanis said as he headed toward the shop.

"If anyone could see this they'd say that sleeping with a Cardassian is beginning to rub off on you, Bashir," Julian said to himself as the door closed behind him.

Julian sat behind Odo's desk and began to access his terminal. If he tried to hack into Odo's files without his password, all kinds of alarms would probably go off. Luckily, he had a back door. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cylinder-shaped instrument about three centimeters long. He turned the device on and connected it to an access port on Odo's terminal. He'd kept the instrument well hidden, even from Garak. He had his own secrets, and if anyone began to suspect him of something, he had wanted the means to protect them. Within a few moments, the terminal's interface flashed and Julian was inside.

The way the device worked was ingeniously simple. Instead of trying to access encrypted information, it counted keystrokes and determined which words or codes were used most often and when. It then quickly ran through the list of keystrokes until it came up with a likely password. The device, known as a code stylus, was very illegal and very high tech. He had bought it from someone he'd met through Morn. Luckily for him, Morn owed the doctor a few favors, and if nothing else, could be depended on to keep his mouth shut. Within seconds, Julian had full access to Odo's files. He scanned through the video files from yesterday, but found nothing related to Garak's shop.

"Apparently, when he told me he disabled Odo's bugs, he wasn't kidding." Julian's brow wrinkled in frustration.

Julian scrolled through the files and came across one labeled, "Main Promenade". "Okay, let's see just how thorough Odo is with his security feeds."

Sure enough, there was Garak's shop, although the video was taken from a great distance. He scrolled though the feed until he saw a woman walk toward Garak's shop and enter. Unfortunately, he couldn't zoom in enough to see her face clearly, so he advanced the footage until she left and noticed she paused to speak to a few Bajorans along the way. In one frame she was standing near the Bajoran restaurant across from the Temple. Julian went back to the list of files and found the security camera nearest the restaurant. He fast-forwarded until he came to the correct time code, and sure enough, there she was. "A Vedek? Now that is rather unexpected."

He didn't recognize her, but then again, Bajoran Vedeks often came onto DS9 to talk with Captain Sisko. His position as Emissary meant that besides running the station he was also a religious figure to those faithful to the Prophets. He downloaded her picture into his PADD, and decided to pay a visit to the Temple. Julian started to get up, then paused. He scrolled back through the security files and finally found some footage with Garak's name listed from about a week ago. "That must have been before he disabled the cameras," Julian muttered. One particular file caught his attention. It was labeled, 'Garak-901'. "That's his quarters."

Julian punched a key and the next thing he knew, he was looking at video feed from inside Garak's quarters. The camera was looking down at the living area, above the sofa. As Julian watched, images of he and Garak stumbling into view filled the monitor. Garak was tearing at Julian's clothes while they kissed, falling onto the couch where they began to make love. He saw his face melt in pleasure as Garak writhed beneath him, his eyes shut tight. Without thinking, Julian began to delete the feed. The next thing he knew, an alarm went off in the office and he quickly disconnected the code stylus and turned off the monitor.

Leanis rushed into the room. "Doctor? What happened?"

"Oh!" Julian picked up his PADD and arose from Odo's chair, "I dropped my PADD on Odo's keyboard. Oops." He shrugged.

"Oh, yeah, he's got the computer set up so if you enter an incorrect password the alarm goes off," Leanis reached over and punched a few buttons, turning off the alarm. "It's okay, I've set that thing off myself. You find everything you need?"

"Yes, it wasn't nearly as interminable as I expected." Julian patted a stack of PADDs on the corner of the desk. "Is my coffee out there?"

"Yes sir, on the desk." Leanis looked at Julian curiously, "Say, doc, are you feeling okay? Your color is a little off."

Julian blocked the images from Odo's monitor out of his mind and tried to smile. "Like I told you before, I didn't sleep well last night. In fact, now that I'm done here, I'm probably going to take a nap or something."

"Well, anyway, thanks for watching the office for me," Leanis said as he followed Julian out of the room. "Don't forget your coffee and eclair."

Julian picked them up and nodded. "I'll probably run into Odo before I head back to my quarters, but on the off chance I don't, if he asks tell him it's on his desk."

"No problem." Leanis waved as Julian left.

Later, he was definitely going to have to talk to Garak about Odo's surveillance footage, that is, if Garak would talk to him at all. The thought of Odo watching them while they - Julian tensed. He couldn't have watched the whole video or he surely would have heard from him by now. He cleared his mind and headed toward the temple. He couldn't worry about that now; he had to get Garak back and to do that he needed to take an active role in this investigation. Julian Bashir wasn't particularly religious, but he knew most of the Bajorans who lived on the station, and the doctor, for the last four years or so, had often volunteered his medical services to the Bajoran Children's Project. He entered the sanctuary and quietly made his way past the worshipers to the office in the back. The temple secretary, Milina, was busy tapping at her PADD and looked up as Julian entered.

"Oh, hello! What can I help you with, doctor? If you want to speak to Prylar Kelvin, he's in the middle of prayer...?"

"No, no, I just wanted to ask you a question." Julian pulled out his PADD and showed her the woman's picture. "One of my nurses said this woman came by the infirmary yesterday to speak to me about my volunteer work on Bajor but I was out and she didn't get the woman's name. I was just checking to see if she was here."

"No," Milina said slowly, "That's Vedek Merel. She was here yesterday, but she went back to Bajor. I'll bet she wanted to ask you about the orphans!" She smiled, "The Vedek is very dedicated to them. She's an amazing woman."

"Is she?" Julian asked curiously.

"Oh yes, in addition to all the social programs she has initiated on Bajor, she also is First Vedek of the Capital Temple. She's very close to the First Minister."

"I'm sorry I missed her then." Julian smiled. "I'm surprised I've never heard of her."

Milina gestured for Julian to come closer and whispered, "Between you and me, there's a lot of whispering among the Vedeks that she should have been the one to succeed Kai Opaka instead of Kai Winn. Politics," she shrugged. "She does a lot of good work though. If Vedek Merel had become Kai, she probably wouldn't have been able to make as much of an impact as she has. The Kai, well, it seems the higher up you get, the further away you have to keep yourself from the people."

"Well, it seems like that would apply to Kai Winn," Julian commiserated.

"Awful woman," Milina said quietly. "The Prylar would skin me alive for saying so, but the last time she visited she treated us like we were here to fetch and carry for her. Kai Opaka was so much nicer."

"I agree," Julian smiled. "Thank you. I'll call down to Bajor as soon as I get to my office and find out what she needed."

"You're welcome, doctor, and please give the Vedek my regards."

Julian exited the Temple and headed for the infirmary. Not bad if I do say so myself, he thought. In less than an hour he already had a great number of the pieces to the puzzle. He still didn't know what would motivate a high ranking Vedek to go to a Cardassian exile for help, but he now understood her connection to Shakaar Edon. Now all he needed was the name of her niece. It shouldn't be too hard. Despite being cruel overlords, the Cardassians were very good at keeping accurate records. During the occupation, all Bajoran births were well documented. Julian could access the records through the terminal in his office.

Julian was nearly at the infirmary when someone tapped his shoulder. "Yes?" He turned to find Odo glaring at him along with two security officers.

"Dr. Bashir, I'm afraid you're under arrest for illegally accessing security files. Please follow me," Odo said in a gravelly tone.

"I don't suppose I could explain -?"

"Explain it to the Captain," Odo interrupted him. "He's waiting for us in his office." Odo held out his hand for Julian to proceed. "After you, doctor."

From the look on Odo's face, this wasn't going to be pleasant.

\---

Sitting in the Captain's office while Odo and Sisko silently stared him down like he was a schoolboy being sent to the headmaster for a scolding, Julian lifted his chin a little and made sure to keep a calm expression on his face.

"Dr. Bashir, would you mind explaining to us why you were deleting secured files in Odo's office?"

Julian quickly and carefully considered his options. He couldn't very well say that he was snooping around because he was trying to get to the bottom of some mystery Garak was working on, could he? Sisko would hardly be amused. His only other option, even though it was a risk, was to come out fighting. "Tell me sir, did Odo happen to tell you what was on the file I was trying to delete?"

Both he and the Captain turned to Odo who was beginning to look uncomfortable.

"No, he didn't." Benjamin Sisko eyed the changeling curiously. "Constable?"

"It was surveillance footage of Garak," Odo said evenly.

"And why would you be deleting surveillance files of Garak's shop, doctor?" The captain turned back to Julian.

"Not his shop, sir. His inner quarters," he replied stone-faced.

"I see," Sisko said slowly. "I've heard some rumors to the effect that you and Mr. Garak are involved."

"We are, sir," Julian replied evenly. "We haven't tried to hide our relationship in any way, however, I do think some things are best kept between consenting adults."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning sir, that the surveillance footage I attempted to delete was of a sexual nature." Julian flushed at the words and avoided looking at Odo.

"Is this true, Mr. Odo?" Sisko's face was beginning to darken, from anger or embarrassment Julian couldn't tell but it was probably a mixture of both.

"I assure you, Captain, I was unaware of their...personal interaction until after the fact and the feeds were disconnected," Odo said calmly.

"The feeds were disconnected because Garak disabled them," Julian pointed out.

"I did not look at them in their entirety and had I been informed, doctor, that you and Mr. Garak-" Odo began before Sisko cut him off.

"Mr. Odo, I understand that as the lone Cardassian aboard the station it is important to keep track on Garak's activities, but that doesn't excuse this type of invasion," the captain said tightly. "You will delete all files collected from Mr. Garak's quarters, sight unseen. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir." Odo's face was tight and calm, but his voice had a cool edge to it.

"In addition, you will disconnect those camera feeds permanently, understood?"

"Of course," Odo agreed. "And, as I mentioned before, I assure you, doctor, that I stopped watching the surveillance as soon as I realized what was happening, I merely filed it away."

"You should have deleted it. In fact, you should have never had it to begin with," the captain looked livid. "Mr. Garak did your office and this station a great favor when he and the doctor brought that drug ring down. Admittedly, I don't entirely trust Garak, but he still has a right to a certain amount of privacy."

"Understood, sir," Odo said. "And I agree totally. I'm very sorry, Dr. Bashir. I assure you that your private business will remain private."

"Thank you," Julian nodded in Odo's direction. "I'm sure Garak will appreciate that as well."

"Now, with that said, had you merely come to me and told me what your concerns were, doctor, I would have had those files deleted without you having to break and enter into Odo's office," the captain leveled his dark gaze back toward Julian. "However, as I understand it, those particular files weren't the only ones you accessed. Mr. Odo was briefing me on Vedek Merel's visit with Garak yesterday when you broke into his files. I want to know what that has to do with you."

Odo turned his piercing gaze toward Julian, "As soon as you tried to delete that particular file, I was alerted and I was able to find which video feeds you accessed. Given the personal nature of your relationship with Garak, I'm wondering why you felt the need to check up on his visitor by breaking into my files. Why not just ask Garak?"

Damn. "That's a long story," Julian said, fidgeting in his chair.

"Well, lucky for you, doctor, I'm in the mood to listen to your tale. Where is Mr. Garak now?" The captain turned again to Odo.

"I sent a security detail to fetch him. They should be here momentarily," Odo answered. 

"Anything you need to tell me before he gets here, doctor?"

"No, sir," Julian replied.

"Very well," the door to Sisko's office opened and Garak stepped in. He was freshly showered and wearing casual clothes, a simple black tunic and pants with a pair of soft loafers. "Mr. Garak, glad you could join us."

"I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter, captain," Garak said. "Odo's men barely gave me time to throw on some clothes. I almost arrived here wearing only a towel."

"I apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Garak, but I'm curious as to why you were entertaining Vedek Merel and what that has to do with Dr. Bashir breaking into Odo's office?"

Garak looked at Julian in surprise. "You broke into Odo's office?"

"Well...yes." Julian scowled at him.

"Why?" Garak seemed genuinely confused.

"To figure out who the woman was, of course," Julian said, completely ignoring the fact that Odo and the captain were looking on.

"No, I meant why did you have to break into Odo's office for that?" Garak seemed almost amused. "I thought that by now you would have learned to use a remote terminal for that sort of thing. You never go into the proverbial lion's den unless absolutely necessary, doctor."

Odo scowled, ignoring the insult Garak had just paid to his security measures. "Answer the question, Garak."

"Vedek Merel was having a private fitting," Garak said simply.

"Somehow, I doubt that," Odo muttered.

"Can you prove otherwise, Constable?" Garak shot back.

"Mr. Garak, Vedek Merel is a very important political and religious figure on Bajor. Somehow I can't see her having clothing tailored by a Cardassian exile, however talented he may be," the captain leaned forward, eyeing Garak sharply.

"Why thank you, captain, I appreciate your confidence in my workmanship." Garak beamed.

"I am not amused, Mr. Garak," Sisko said coolly. "Now tell us what is going on."

"I'm afraid that I can't, sir," Garak said. "What the good Vedek and I discussed was of a personal nature and of no interest to you or the Federation. It was told to me in private and if Vedek Merel did not share her confidence with you, neither will I."

Benjamin Sisko leaned back into his chair and folded his hands. "Very well, Mr. Garak. I can appreciate your loyalty and your honesty." He turned to Odo. "Arrest Dr. Bashir for breaking and entering and records tampering; I'll begin court-martial proceedings as soon as I can contact Starfleet Headquarters."

"What?" Julian sat up in his chair, "But captain, I-!"

"I'm sorry, doctor," the captain shrugged. "Since Mr. Garak is unwilling to cooperate, I'm afraid that I have no choice but to have you prosecuted for these very serious crimes; what were the specific charges again, Constable?."

“Breaking and entering, attempting to alter or destroy official documents, interference with an ongoing investigation, espionage, and conduct unbecoming an officer,” Odo answered with almost indolent satisfaction. “I’m sure there are more but those are just the ones that carry the most prison time if convicted.” He looked at Bashir pointedly, “Several decades worth, in fact.” 

"That makes no sense!" Julian burst out.

"You did violate security when you entered my office under false pretenses, doctor," Odo pointed out.

"Yes, and the only thing I deleted was a sex tape you had of me and Garak!" Bashir's face was red with frustration.

"You had a sex tape of us?" Garak turned to Odo. "Why constable, does the Major know about your proclivities?

Odo squared his shoulders. "It was an accident."

"I think placing hidden cameras in a person's quarters and then, apparently, keeping potentially embarrassing video files on their sex lives seems fairly deliberate," Garak said evenly.

"Mr. Garak-" the captain began.

"Captain, if you prosecute Dr. Bashir then the circumstances of his capture will come into light. While Mr. Odo's surveillance may or may not be legal given my indeterminate status as a Cardassian exile, it would certainly cause a great deal of embarrassment to your command," Garak said evenly, "If you want me to tell you why Vedek Merel approached me, fine. However, our discussion must be off the record and private." He turned to Odo, "Not that I don't trust you, despite your recent fascination with my love life, but it is a private matter."

"Nothing about you or your love life fascinates me, Garak," Odo bit back.

"Then what exactly were those cameras doing in my quarters, Constable?" Garak asked innocently. "I've seen those looks you give me, you gorgeous blue-eyed devil. Why, if it weren't for Julian..."

Odo started to make his rebuttal, but Sisko stopped him. "Enough, gentlemen. Mr. Odo, if you wouldn't mind excusing us, please?"

"Very well," Odo said stiffly then exited the room.

Julian looked over to Garak. "Is it all right if I stay?"

"Might as well. If I say no you'll probably just get into trouble again," Garak replied.

"I wouldn't have gotten into trouble if you had just talked to me instead of flying off the handle like you did!" Julian returned.

"I wouldn't have gotten angry if you hadn't been patronizing and condescending," Garak shot back.

Sisko rubbed his temples and took a deep breath. "Can we just get on with this, please?"

"Very well, but only if I have your word that none of the information I give will leave this room and that Dr. Bashir's record will remain unblemished." Garak turned his steely gaze toward the captain and awaited his reply.

"You have my word. Now talk," Sisko ordered.

Garak sat back in his chair, "Vedek Merel received an anonymous tip that her grand-niece whom she had never met, had been murdered by First Minister Shakaar."

Sisko blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I reviewed the information she was sent and it seems credible. I don't know if Shakaar killed the girl, but I am fairly certain they did know each other. I believe she may have been his mistress."

"That's...quite a story," Sisko said carefully.

"Wait, I thought you said it was a little girl?" Julian turned to Garak.

"I never said that. You just assumed it," Garak retorted.

"All right." Sisko held up his hands in defeat. "Get on with it, please Mr. Garak."

Garak turned to the captain and continued. "I retrieved some files from the Bajoran Central Archives and finally found Kel Sinles's birth records. She is Vedek Merel's grand-niece. I tried to find more, but I could not find records of her clearance to work in the sex trade - or any arrest record, for that matter."

"She was a prostitute?" Julian asked in surprise.

"The source said she was, but I couldn't find any proof of it." Garak turned to the captain. "Prostitution is legal in certain provinces on Bajor. Had she been a legal sex worker, she should have been registered. If she was working illegally, she'd never been arrested or fined."

"Anything else?" Sisko asked.

"I wasn't able to find any more information on her other than her birth records. I have a picture and I know that she bears a resemblance to Vedek Merel and that the woman in the picture looks to be 20 or so, which is how old Kel Sinles would be now," Garak shrugged, "I really don't have much else as of yet. The Vedek came to me because she knew I had some contacts and she also knew that as a Cardassian, if I told anyone about this investigation, I wouldn't be a credible witness. The informant said that Sinles was blackmailing Shakaar and he accidently killed her and disposed of the body. I don't know if it's true, but so far the rest of the information she was given appears to be accurate."

"I know Shakaar, and I doubt if he would be capable of something like that." Sisko shook his head.

"I've seen a lot of men do things they didn't think they were capable of, Captain. Shakaar is up for re-election and the opposition has a lot of support from Kai Winn and the conservatives. This could be true or it could be a ploy to discredit him and Vedek Merel. That's why she asked me to look in on it for her." Garak paused. "On the off chance it is true, if Starfleet gets involved, Shakaar could destroy all of the evidence before we can bring it to the Bajoran authorities. If it's not true, starting an official investigation this late into his campaign will ruin his chances of being re-elected and Bajor would not likely be joining the Federation at any time in the near future. As I understand it, Krath Milnar, the conservative candidate, is vehemently opposed to it."

Sisko stared at his hands, deep in thought. Finally, he looked up and said, "Continue with your investigation. Officially, I can't know anything about it, but unofficially I want you to report anything you find directly to me. If you need any resources from us, they're yours, but I want you to work with Dr. Bashir on this." When it looked like they both might have something to say about that, he held up one hand to silence them. "I don't want to hear about it. Whatever your personal problems are, work through them. I want Dr. Bashir on this. If we need to back up any evidence you uncover, frankly a decorated Starfleet officer might be seen as a more credible witness to the Bajoran courts than a Cardassian tailor."

"Understood, Captain," Garak acknowledged.

"Yes, sir," Julian nodded.

"Excellent," Sisko smiled. "I'll expect you to report to me regularly on this. Dismissed."

Julian and Garak both headed out of the office toward the turbolifts. As the doors closed, Julian turned to Garak, "Can I ask you something?" Garak looked at him curiously. "When I mentioned the surveillance video of us - you know, you didn't seem all that shocked. Why not?"

"That's because I already knew about the cameras," Garak replied.

"You knew?!?" Julian's face went beet red. "You knew Odo could - would - saw that and you didn't tell me?"

"Why do you think he didn't complain when I disconnected all of his cameras the next day?" Garak said with a smile, leaving Julian to glare at him in silence.


	4. The Game is Afoot

\---  
Chapter Four: The Game is Afoot.  
\---

Garak sat at the desk tapping on the keyboard as Julian lounged on the couch, his PADDs piling up around him. For the last two days that they had worked together, their only conversation had been in reference to which foods they wanted replicated or to ask the other person to pass them a PADD. It had been a war of silence, and frankly, Garak was tiring of it.

"Julian?"

"What?" Julian asked in a bored, slightly abrupt tone.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Julian asked. "I'm the one who can't keep himself out of trouble." He clicked through a few screens on his PADD, not bothering to look up. "After all, I'm the one who panicked and deleted files just because I saw my naked butt bobbing up and down on Odo's monitor. I should have done like you and been all casual about it. Maybe give him the thumbs up right before my big finish? You know how proud I am of that swivel move I do with my hips!"

Garak threw his hands up in frustration and pushed his chair away from the desk to look at his lover. "I'm trying to apologize here. If you keep it up, I'm going to have to think of Odo's face when he saw us and start laughing so hard the apology won't seem genuine anymore."

"Personally, I think he saved it so he could learn my techniques, that way when he finally does get into Kira's knickers he'll actually have something to show her," the doctor muttered darkly.

"My darling Julian, the man is a shapeshifter. He could out maneuver both of us with his eyes closed." Garak sighed. "Believe me, as aggravating as the man is, I've considered the possibilities. Why Major Kira hasn't I'll never know."

"Somehow I don't think you're his type," Julian said, dropping his PADD on his lap and rubbing his eyes wearily.

"The question is," Garak said, getting up from behind the desk and walking until he stood above Julian, "am I still your type?"

Julian looked up and said, "Of course! I'm just feeling pissy because I made a horse's arse out of myself and managed to do it in front of Sisko of all people! The man hardly seems to tolerate me as is. Then, to top it all off, here I was set to prove to you how clever I could be and you had to save my career because I made some damned foolish mistake. I guess those spy holonovels didn't teach me as much as I thought they had." Julian sat up, pulling his feet off the couch to make room for Garak. "I suppose the reason I've been acting so cold for the last two days is because my pride is stinging."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of," Garak said, sitting down and cupping his cheek. "You have the most marvelous mind and you heal people! If I had your intelligence and your dedication-well, not that it needs to be said, but, I admire you very much. I still can't figure out how you got past all the encryptions."

Julian looked at his hands and smiled slightly, "Well, I do have a trick or three. Nothing on your level, of course."

Garak grinned. "And so modest! It took me weeks to crack Odo's codes and you did it in a matter of a few minutes. We'll make a spy out of you yet! With those results I think I'll start playing those holo-adventures myself!"

Julian kissed Garak on the mouth softly. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not rubbing it in. I was an arrogant, egotistical, condescending idiot and you could have really let fly and been perfectly justified, yet here you are making me feel better," Julian said. "Why are you so good to me?"

"Probably because I want to have sex again in this lifetime, but instead I'll say it's because you've been a good influence on me."

"Good answer," Julian said, leaning in for another kiss.

After a minute or two, Garak pulled away with a groan, "If we keep this up, we'll wind up in bed and we'll never sort this mess out."

"Let's just forget about it and go to bed then," Julian suggested. "We've been at this for the better part of two days and the most we've come up with is that Kel Sinles was a good student and the last thing either of us found was some accounting records showing she worked for a library half a world away from where her picture was taken during the debate Shakaar had with Krath Milnar."

"It's not adding up," Garak said, obviously frustrated. "How does an intelligent young woman who has an interest in library sciences wind up becoming a blackmailing mistress to a politician? I think we're going about this case in the wrong way."

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, we're dealing with far too much information," Garak said, rising from the couch so he could pace back and forth. "We're concentrating too hard on details we already know. We need to stick to the basics and work from there!"

"We...well, we want to know where the Vedek's niece is, right?" Julian asked.

"Exactly, at the heart of it, that is essentially what we want to know!" Garak turned to look at his companion. "Think about it. If this were simply a missing persons case – no political intrigue, no murder investigation - would we be relying so heavily on the information we were sent? No. Thus far we've used this anonymously sent PADD and have been trying to find facts which fit what it tells us. It's not bearing fruit! I say we pursue the Kel Sinles we know exists. We know where she was born, we know that she paid taxes and held a job, we know according to the Provisional Government that no death certificate has been issued for her. That is who we need to track down!" He picked up the PADD and looked at her picture, showing it to Julian, "Look at this woman: that is not a librarian from a backwater town. That woman is wearing the latest hand tailored Bajoran fashions, her skin and hair are flawless. That is not the face or the style of a woman who spends her days cataloguing data! This is a woman with a certain amount of street smarts and cunning. It doesn't add up."

Julian took the PADD and examined it, then looked up, "People change, they grow! Shakaar could have bought her the clothes and the hair and makeup are merely cosmetic. All I see is a picture of a beautiful girl around 19 or 20. I think you're relying too heavily on instinct."

"Instinct, my dear, is why I'm still alive," Garak said simply. "No, I have to say the problem I'm having with this is the fact that I haven't been following my instincts." He tapped the PADD in Julian's hand. "This is leading us on a wild goose chase! We need to look for Sinles where we know she was last. We need to go to Bajor, specifically to the Belava Provence, and find that library where she worked. Even if no one knows where she went from there, we can at least confirm that this is her picture and maybe get a handle on how she thought. I need to know who she really was so I can predict where she'd go from there."

"Bajor?" Julian put down his PADD and thought about it. "It won't be easy getting you there. Not many people are going to want to answer a Cardassian's questions."

"True." Garak sighed and sat back down on the couch.

"I could go alone, or we could place a call down there from here?"

"No," Garak said, "for something like this we really need to be down there together. There are subtle physical cues to watch for, plus I want to walk in her footsteps, see what she has seen...I have to go." He turned to Julian, "Tell Sisko we need a transport to Bajor first thing in the morning. I'll contact Merel Atina and tell her what we're planning to do and ask that she send her assistant to meet us. His presence could help open some doors which would otherwise remain shut."

"Any idea how long we'll be staying?" Julian asked.

"More than a day, possibly a week or more. We'll have to pack and we'll need lodging," Garak said thoughtfully. "I know a Bolean on the station who does some specialty lacework for me from time to time. I can get him to take over running the shop for a week. Merel said her order would give me shelter if we needed it so that's done. As long as Sisko approves you taking some time away from your duties to go to Bajor, we should be set."

"Looks like we're going to Bajor."

"Looks like it."

"So," Julian said, casually placing his arm around Garak, "I guess we should think about going to bed and getting some sleep?"

Garak turned to the doctor slowly. "Sleep sounds good," he smiled, "but first..."

A few minutes later, Julian gasped, "I like this plan so far."

\---

They landed the shuttle near the monastery gate. A tall, grey-haired man wearing the bright blue robes of a ranjen approached them as they stepped out into the bright sun. "Mr. Garak, Dr. Bashir," he said, nodding at the two of them, "I am Owin Grea, Vedek Merel's ranjen. Please come in. The prylars have made us lunch so that we can discuss our business together."

"Thank you," Garak said, looking around at the structures as they entered the gate. "It's very beautiful."

"It is," Julian agreed, breathing in the sweet smell of the fruit ripening on the trees, "and not at all what you'd expect a monastery to look like.

Owin chuckled. "Oh yes, I had heard in some of the human religions, monks live a very spartan existence. The members of our sect do not live extravagantly, but they do live well. This particular monastery harvests the fruit of the Agauba trees to make everything from preserves to natural medicines. They are completely self-reliant. All the grains, fruit, and vegetables they need are grown right here. They keep various types of herd beasts for milk and cheese; maintain farming ponds for fish and other freshwater foodstuffs such as shellfish, Iola anemone, and water tubers, as well as domesticated braga fowl for eggs. Each one of the Prylars has a background in animal husbandry or agriculture." He pointed to some children playing near a well. "They also have an orphanage here where the children are taught a skill or trade so that when they are old enough to leave, they will be able to support themselves."

Garak looked closely at the features of one of the children. "He's part Cardassian."

"Oh yes." Owin nodded and smiled kindly at Garak. "I chose this as your home base exactly for that reason. Many of the children here are of Cardassian descent. They call this the Forgotten Children's Home. Some of the monks here are also of Cardassian lineage, and were hidden here during the Occupation because of the purity laws sent down by the Military State. The villagers near by have learned to be tolerant of us and trade easily with the monks, and they, for the most part, feel no need to leave the confines of these walls. It is a place for joy and self-reflection."

"Half-Cardassian monks?" Julian asked. "I've never heard of that."

"Our numbers are not many, but we exist." An older man with slightly softened Cardassian features and the nose ridges of a Bajoran approached them from where he had been working the soil of a small vegetable plot. He was wearing the rough brown work robes of a Prylar and smiled at them both. "May the Prophets guide you both to what you seek, I am Danna Bril. I will help you find whatever you need during your stay with us."

Owin bowed his head slightly in the other man's direction and touched his ear in blessing. "May the Prophets bless you."

"And you as well, Ranjen," Danna returned. He looked at Garak curiously. "It is a pleasure to meet you both, especially you, Mr. Garak. You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you like."

"Thank you," Garak said. "I'm looking forward to trying some of those preserves Ranjen Owin was telling us about."

"We have some excellent, full-bodied wines as well! Please, follow me."

The lunch was simple but well prepared and after eating, the Prylar excused himself to return to his weeding leaving them with Owin Grea to discuss the case. "Vedek Merel said that you tracked her niece to a village near here?"

"We found some employment records saying she worked at a library," Garak elaborated. "We need to travel there this afternoon to ask some questions."

"Ah yes, I know where that is. As I said, the villagers there are used to our presence. If you have any trouble accessing any records, just tell them to contact me here. I'm not leaving for several more hours. The village is less than two kilometers from here. You can walk or use one of the land transports the Prylars keep. When you return, Danna will show you to your rooms."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Garak said.

"Yes, thank you; lunch was delicious," Julian agreed.

"Thank you." Owin bowed his head in acceptance. "Just find Sinles, please. I'm afraid this whole business as worn heavily on the Vedek. I'm ready to see it done, whatever the outcome."

"That's our intention," Garak said, his voice confident. "By the end of today, one way or another, I intend to find someone who knew this girl."

"Prylar Danna is not aware of the specifics of your mission, just that you are looking to reunite a woman with her family. If you need anything, ask him, but the Vedek requests you keep the information as confidential as possible. He knows that I have authorized him to provide you with any documentation or contacts you require and will not ask you any questions specific to the case. If you need me, for anything, call me on the communications console in your quarters and I will be available day or night. May the Prophets aid you both in your search."

"I'm not a particularly religious man," Garak said, "but I'll take help where ever I can get it. Thank you."

\---

The Belava Provence wasn't quite a backwater village, but it certainly wasn't very large. People milled around, wandering in and out of some of the quaint shops and restaurants. There was a farmer's market filled with some of the early harvest and children ran about playing between the fruit stands, snatching small grapes and eating them while the fruit sellers were distracted. All in all, picture perfect. Hardly the type of place you'd expect a sophisticated politician's mistress to call home.

Garak received a few glares, but as the Ranjen had said, most of the villagers ignored his presence. "I think that large central building is the library," Garak said, pointing to a tall white structure on the main street.

"It does fit the description Owin gave us," Julian agreed and they walked in together.

The library was big and dimly lighted to protect the few paper scrolls and books that it contained. Most of the room was taken up by the large tables and many chairs in which sat various students, citizens, and a few clergy who were examining various documents and terminals. They quietly made their way to the information desk where a small boned woman with brown hair and eyes was typing at her computer. "Miss?"

The woman turned to Garak and almost did a spit take. "You - hello? You're...not one of the Prylars, are you?"

"No, I'm not," Garak said easily. "I'm here looking for someone who worked here recently."

"Okay." She looked at him askance. "How may I help you?"

"Have you ever seen this woman?" Julian asked, handing her the PADD with Kel Sinles's image.

"No..." she said, examining it with a frown. "I've worked here for nearly three years and I've never even seen this woman. When did you say she worked here?"

"It would have been while you were here," Garak said, his voice tight with disappointment. "Is there any chance she may have worked on a different shift or are there any other libraries near here?"

"No, sorry," she said, then gestured toward an older woman who was bent over the terminal of a young boy, tapping on his keyboard and showing him something on the monitor. "That's Mrs. Dekalpa, our head librarian. She might know who this is. She works with most of the students and tends to have a better memory for faces than I do."

They thanked her, then walked over to the older woman who straightened when she noticed them approaching. "Gentlemen," she greeted.

"Good afternoon, madam," Garak nodded respectfully. "May we borrow a moment of your time?"

"How may I help you?" she asked, looking from one man to the other.

Julian handed her the PADD. "We're looking for this woman. Your records show she was recently employed here. Do you know where she is?"

"I'm sorry, but this woman has never been here," she said, examining the picture and frowning.

"Look carefully," Garak urged. "Her name is Kel Sinles, she's 20 years old and she was hired a few years ago."

"What did you say?" She looked up sharply.

"Kel Sinles," Garak repeated. "Do you know her?"

"I know Sinles, yes, but this isn't her." The woman chuckled. "I'm afraid you gentlemen have been misinformed.

"We were told this woman may have been the victim of foul play," Julian said, pointing to the girl's image.

"That's a shame," Mrs. Dekalpa said softly, "but Sinles is very alive and well."

"Where can we find her? Sinles?" Garak asked.

"You already have. She's at the information desk."

\---

"My great aunt? But I don't have any family."

They were in the office. Garak and Julian stood across from Sinles and Mrs. Dekalpa and were trying to explain why they were there without giving away too many details of the case. "Vedek Merel. She's your grandmother's sister. She didn't even know you were alive until recently," Julian said.

"And what exactly does this have to do with the blonde girl in the picture?" Mrs. Dekalpa asked curiously.

"Someone told the Vedek that this was Sinles and that she had gone missing about a month ago. She asked that we help find her," Garak said carefully. "I realize this has come as a shock, but Merel Atina genuinely wants to get to know you. She was separated from her sister and assumed she was killed during the Occupation; that's why she never looked for you. She's been searching ever since she discovered you existed."

"That I existed or this woman?" Sinles asked coolly.

"You," Julian reassured. "That was just some bad information she received from an anonymous source. She'll be thrilled when we tell her you're alive and healthy."

"I'm not interested in meeting her," Sinles said simply, putting the PADD back down on the desk.

"Sinles," Mrs. Dekalpa began.

"No," Sinles turned to look at her. "My parents died when I was 15. If you and your husband hadn't taken me in, I would have had to live with the Prylars or at some other orphanage. She didn't care enough to find me until she saw this...this - whoever this is, and frankly, she can keep looking. Tell her I don't need her."

"We'll tell her," Julian said reluctantly, "but if you change your mind..."

"I won't."

"Come on, doctor," Garak said, "Ladies."

As they walked out of the library toward the monastery, Julian turned to Garak. "That's so sad."

"What is?"

"That girl. All those years alone and she doesn't want to meet her only living relative? The Vedek is going to be crushed."

"We have bigger problems to worry about than that, doctor," Garak said cryptically.

"What problems? We found the girl, the job is done," Julian said simply.

"Half done," Garak corrected. "We found Kel Sinles, not the girl in the picture."

"So?" Julian said in confusion. "The informant got the facts wrong. It's obvious that Kel Sinles isn't anyone's mistress and we know she's still alive. The Vedek just wanted to find her niece."

"We'll see," was all Garak would say. "We shall certainly see."


	5. Settling for Second Best

\---  
Chapter Five: Settling for Second Best  
\---

They ate a delicious, if rather subdued dinner that night and afterward were shown to the visitor's housing by the Prylar. "There are two bedrooms," he pointed to two doors across from one another, "and this is the main living area. There is a bathroom behind that door. Only one, I'm afraid," he apologized. "The communications terminal is on the desk near the window. There is no kitchen, but if you get hungry the dining hall isn't locked. Help yourself, just make sure to clean up whatever dishes you use. We don't have replicators here." He opened the door and smiled. "If you gentlemen need anything, just ask. There are extra blankets in the closets and wood near the fireplace. It will get cold tonight, so you may want to start a fire now. Sunset is in twenty minutes or so and the temperatures fall rapidly here in the hills."

"Thank you," Garak said. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Yes," Julian said, looking around at the simply furnished but very comfortable room, "this is wonderful."

"Blessings of the Prophets on you both, then. Goodnight."

Garak looked around the small cabin and took a deep breath. "I could really learn to like this."

"I would have thought it was a little on the rustic side for your tastes," Julian chuckled, sitting down on the canvas covered couch in front of the fireplace.

"It could use a few homey touches, some art on the walls and a little color here and there, but it's all anyone would really ever need," Garak said admiringly. "One couch, a desk and a chair, a bathroom, and a bedroom. Not much less than what I already have on the station, really."

"Well, if this is the VIP suite, I wonder what the monk's cabins look like?" Julian scoffed. "No replicator, no computer other than the comm unit, no holovid - what is there to do but look out the window."

"I can think of a few things," Garak said, throwing him a playful wink.

"Yes, but they're monks," Julian rolled his eyes.

"Julian, Bajoran clergy aren't necessarily celibate."

"I know," he said, "but these are monks."

Garak leaned on the fireplace mantle and grinned. "So?"

"Well...I mean..." Julian paused, "Danna and his fellow clergy don't seem to be the type who throw wild orgies after picking fruit and weeding the flower beds all day."

"There's an old saying I learned from my time with the Obsidian Order. It goes, 'You never can tell what's hiding under a priest's robes'." Garak scratched his chin in thought, "Of course, that was referring to hidden weapons and such, but it could apply to this situation as well."

"Stop. I'm getting mental images and it's hurting my brain." Julian closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch. "I keep seeing Owin Grea adjusting his garter belt and fishnet stockings under that blue robe of his."

"That could be interesting..." Garak said thoughtfully.

"Stop that! You're scaring me."

Garak chuckled. "Enough playing. I have to comm Merel about her niece. You start the fire and I'll ring her up."

"Sounds good," Julian said, getting up from the couch and wrapping his arms around Garak's waist. "Maybe we can steal a teapot and some muffins from the kitchen and sit by the fire later."

"An excellent idea," Garak said, kissing him lightly. "And when we're full and all of the tea is gone, we can commit sacrilege on the sheets of holy men."

"I love it when you get in a blasphemous mood." Julian chuckled and kissed Garak again, cupping his bottom and squeezing playfully.

"I could call her later," Garak said breathlessly against Julian's mouth. "Tomorrow maybe?"

"No, work first then..." Julian kissed along Garak's jawline until he got to his earlobe and then sucked and tugged at the ornate lobe, using his tongue to tease the whorls of his ear until Garak began to pant with need. "You have such sensitive ears," he chuckled. "What are you, half-Ferengi?"

"You'll pay for that one," Garak said, rubbing Julian's hardening erection through his trousers. He kissed the other man's throat and began to bite and suck at his Adam's apple, "but later." He moved away from Julian who practically groaned in disappointment. "It was your idea, remember?"

"I’ve changed my mind?"

"No, sorry." Garak walked over to the terminal and began his call to Merel Atina while Julian shrugged and started piling wood and kindling into the fireplace. "Vedek Merel?" Garak asked as soon as the woman's face appeared on the screen.

"Mr. Garak!" Merel said, smiling with relief, "Owin gave me the news. He said you left him a message that Sinles was alive?"

"Yes, she is, but I didn't tell your Ranjen everything. I thought it might be better to tell you this myself." Garak took a deep breath, "I'm very sorry, but she doesn't want to see you."

Merel's face fell, but she kept her composure. "I see."

"Right now she's stinging from the fact that you didn't come to find her sooner. If it's of any comfort, I think she'll eventually change her mind. Her foster mother seems intent on having her talk with you, for a sense of closure if nothing else."

"Thank you for your reassurance. That's very kind of you, Mr. Garak," Merel said. "As I said before, whatever you found at the end of this journey, I would be satisfied. Perhaps, someday, Sinles will contact me. I would like to meet my sister's granddaughter, but only when she is ready."

"I do have something else to add," Garak said. "As Owin may have mentioned, Sinles was not the woman in the picture your informant gave us, nor was she ever a prostitute. I'm not sure what is going on, but whoever that woman is, she's still missing, if she even exists."

Merel looked at him thoughtfully, "Do you think that there really was a murdered girl, then?"

"I don't know," Garak said. "The picture is genuine, I know that. I found another copy of it in some articles written on the political debate and Julian ran across two other pictures where this woman was somewhere in the background or seen talking to the First Minister at a rally. Whoever she is, she does appear to know him. We have to now decide if the informant was lying about everything, or if the only mistake he or she made was naming the girl as your niece."

Merel remained silent as she considered his words carefully.

"I'm willing to continue the search if you want to find her," Garak said. "If you choose to drop the investigation, I will understand and Dr. Bashir and I will head back to Deep Space Nine in the morning. However, if you want to pursue this, we can stay until the end of the week. I'm sure we'll find something by then."

"If this girl was murdered, then we are the only ones looking for her," Merel said at last. "I don't want that on my conscience. Find her, for better or for worse. Hopefully, she'll be safe and sound as well. Comm me when you know something."

"I will," he agreed.

"And Garak?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. I owe you lunch at your replimat for this, no matter what else you find." She smiled, then the screen went blank.

Garak rose from the desk to watch Julian struggling with the fire. "It's not lit yet."

"I know that," Julian said irritably. "I can't get this bloody thing to work!"

Garak frowned, "It's just a fire, what do you mean you can't get it to work?"

"See for yourself." Julian handed him a pewter box and grimaced. "I can't find the damned button. I've pressed every inch of the bloody thing, but I can't get it to do anything."

Garak look at the small metal box carefully, rasping his thumb against the textured surface, then smiled. "I think I have it!" He pushed the top of the box and it slid aside to reveal a gray stone inside the container. "It's a tinder box. The monks here must be very dedicated to doing things the old way. Strike the stone against the ridges at the top of the box and it will spark."

"If you say so. Personally, I don't see what's wrong with a plasma lighter or at least a box of matches. Old ways, indeed." Julian took the stone and struck it against the box causing a flurry of sparks to hit the twigs he used as kindling. The fire began to sputter and smoke so he used the stone again to produce more sparks, "Shit!" He sucked his thumb. "I burned myself," he grumbled.

"Yes, but look at what a lovely fire you have to show for it," Garak said with a smile.

Julian got up from the floor, still nursing his thumb. "It would have been easier to just use a phaser on low stun and it wouldn't have caused me to lose skin in the process."

"Here, let me see," Garak clucked, looking at the small white burn on the pad of Julian's finger. "I guess it's true; doctors do make the most terrible patients, don't they?"

"I'd offer you an obscene finger gesture but you're holding my hand," Julian grouched.

"Where's your medkit?" Garak asked, looking around.

"With the suitcases over there." Julian thrust his chin over toward the bags stacked by the front entrance. "The DR unit is near the top."

Garak took the small instrument from the top of the bag and walked over to Julian, adjusting the power levels as he walked. "Here we are."

"I can do it." Julian reached for the instrument.

"As can I. You're the patient, remember?"

"Fine." Julian held out his thumb. "Just make sure to adjust the power output and set it on level 4."

Garak gave him an exasperated look. "I know." He ran the scanner over Julian's burn and watched as it slowly began to heal. "As time goes by, I'm beginning to believe that you have control issues."

"I have control issues? Me?" Julian scoffed. "You're the one with control issues!"

"How so?" Garak asked, putting down the dermal regenerator and crossing his arms across his chest defensively.

"Just look at you, the way you're standing speaks volumes," Julian said, rubbing the new pink skin on his thumb tenderly. "If I hadn't made the first move in this relationship, we would have spent the next few years tap dancing around our feelings and we never would have gotten together. You're always hiding behind innuendo and mystery, so focused on self-preservation that you never let go enough to live life." The doctor looked at him, "Actually, that does bring something to mind. I've been thinking we need to have a talk about our relationship."

"I think you're just being melodramatic." Garak tried to move away but Julian held his arm.

"No you don't, we're having this discussion," Julian ordered. "Come sit with me."

Garak shrugged his shoulders in defeat and they both took a seat on the couch, the light from the fire casting shadows on the walls and lending a cheery warmth to the small room. "I was just making a small joke, Julian. There's really no need to get all morbid."

"I'm not trying to be morbid," Julian said. "I'm trying to have a serious discussion with you, for once."

"We have serious discussions all the time!"

"We talk about politics, literature, and station gossip. Lately we've been doing a lot more groping than talking, but we've never really talked about us." Julian took a deep breath and reached out, taking Garak's hand in his. "There are a few things I need to say to you, and now is as good a time as any."

Garak gave him a dubious look. "You aren't going to...I don't know, ask me to marry you or something? I refuse to wear a dress - even for you, Julian - and damn medical science, I'm too old to be carrying your baby!"

"Hush up, you old fool, I'm trying to be serious here," Julian scolded. "You see, this is what I mean! You're always using wise cracks and wry humor when it's inappropriate."

"Defense mechanism," Garak shrugged. "Sorry."

"It's just...this whole thing we're doing has me thinking," Julian said slowly. "Vedek Merel is all alone in the world, I mean, she has a family of a sort. Her sect and her friends, but the one person to whom she has real family ties just refused to have anything to do with her. And this other woman - we don't know if she's alive or dead, and no one is looking for her...that's very sad, I think."

"I agree," Garak said carefully, trying to follow exactly what it was Julian was trying to get across.

"I know I'm not making much sense," he ran his hand through his dark hair then reached out for Garak's hand again. "You and I tend to get ourselves in a lot of trouble."

"To say the least."

"Exactly," he agreed. "I want to say this now, while we're safe and warm and here, not on the station dodging Odo's cameras and the alien menace of the week." He looked at him intently, "I care for you a great deal. I've come close to saying it, but I've never actually said the words before..."

"Julian-" Garak looked down at their entwined hands.

"No interruptions, this is hard enough." Julian chuckled nervously. "I- I'm in love with you. There, I said it." He took a deep shuddering breath and closed his eyes. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Is that it?" Garak asked.

"What do you mean, 'is that it'?" Julian asked, flabbergasted. "I'll have you know, that was pretty damn hard to say for someone like me. What I'm really trying to tell you is that I'm ready to consider exploring the idea of a commitment."

"A commitment?" Garak asked with a raised eyeridge.

"Not anything permanently binding," Julian hastened to add. "Just...more of the same only, well...more."

"More?" Garak's heart seemed to skip a beat or two, "Like, perhaps, sharing quarters?"

"Living together? God no!" Julian said, then hastened to add, "I mean, not that I wouldn't like to, you know, do that eventually, maybe, but..."

"But what, exactly?" Garak asked, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"I'm doing this all wrong," Julian muttered. "I just meant that we should agree to be together exclusively - as a couple. We should start taking vacations together and go to social functions -- test the waters, so to speak. All we do now is eat in and sleep together, and every once in a while we have lunch or shop on the Promenade and that's all we do!"

"We live on a space station. That's all there is to do," Garak pointed out.

"I just thought we should say it out loud, that's all," Julian sulked.

"So, let me clarify what it is you want me to understand," Garak said slowly. "You are in love with me-"

"Yes! Exactly!" Julian said, relieved.

"And you want a commitment?"

"Right!"

"But not too much of a commitment."

"Yes! See, now that is why I love you, sweetheart." Julian kissed Garak's hand and grinned. "You understand me perfectly."

Garak rolled his eyes, "I understand that you are a complete and utter ass, Julian."

"But-"

"Don't get me wrong," Garak sighed, "I've known you were an ass for quite some time and I accept this about you. In fact, it's one of the things I love most about you for some guls awful reason."

"Thanks, I think..." Julian said with an uncertain frown. "Are you mad at me now?"

"No, I'm not mad," Garak said, slightly disappointed. "And I want you to know that I love you as well. I'm glad you were honest with me and said what you said."

"Thank you," Julian felt a little uneasy still. "Did you want to move in together or something?"

"No, of course not." Garak avoided Julian's gaze by staring into the fire. "I'm perfectly satisfied with our relationship as it is now. I wouldn't change a thing."

Julian squeezed Garak's hand, "I'm glad, and I agree totally. Things are really good between us, and I hope they will be for a long time. Who knows? Maybe some day, a few years from now, we might decide to do something a bit more permanent. I just wanted to tell you that I'm in this for the long run."

Garak didn't answer him. Instead he got up from the couch and looked around the room. "This is a really nice place," he said. "A man could really be happy here, don't you think?"

"I suppose," Julian said, looking around. "Personally, I prefer the station. Like I said, it's on the rustic side and I imagine it could get pretty lonely. All these monks have are each other and their gardens."

Garak picked up another log and tossed it on the fire, watching the sparks fly. "Did I ever tell you I worked as a gardener once?"

"On Romulus - I remember." Julian chuckled. "Has it come to the portion of the evening where you tell me some cock and bull story about how you planted some peonies and somehow that led to a politician's unfortunate demise?"

"No, nothing like that," Garak said softly, sitting on the floor tucking his knees up and watching the flames lick at the wood. "You've already heard most of those stories. No, I was just going to say that I enjoyed working with the plants back then. I enjoyed the whole process of it; working the soil, choosing the seeds, watching them grow into beautiful flowers and vegetables - it's like working with cloth, really. You start out with something raw and when you are done, you have this beautiful creation that someone else can use and the satisfaction of knowing you've accomplished something real. I loved gardening especially, because what I did made things beautiful and fed people. That's something I never liked about working for the Order. It seemed like all I ever did was destroy things then, tear down lies and lives. The first time I ever felt truly at peace was when I worked as a gardener. Sort of the same way I felt when I was knitting you that sweater." Garak smiled sadly. "I wonder if I'll ever get to finish it?"

"Of course you will," Julian yawned. "As soon as we get back to the station, you'll finish it up and I'll wear it the next weekend we have off together."

Again, Garak didn't say anything, he merely turned and kissed Julian on the mouth as he arose from the floor. "Have you seen the bathroom yet?"

"Not yet," Julian gave him a crooked grin. "I wonder how big the tub is?"

"Let's go find out, shall we?" Garak invited, pulling him off the couch and tugging him along, their hands clasped together as they acted once again as lovers should.

\---

Garak lay on the bed, listening to the sounds of the fire popping in the next room and the light snores of his lover whose head was nestled in the crook of his arm. They had taken turns in the bath, washing one another's hair and backs, then retired into one of the bedrooms. Garak made love to Julian that night, entering him slowly and stretching out every moment of pleasure until they both came, shuddering and crying out in fulfillment. The bed was small, smaller than his bed on the station, but the mattress was soft and Julian usually slept on his side anyway.

He couldn't sleep. His mind was too busy running around in circles. Julian slept as if he hadn't a care in the world, and he probably didn't. All was well with Julian Bashir. He had everything he ever wanted: a respected position, friends, a home, and a lover he could depend on to warm his bed without demanding more from him. Unfortunately, very soon Julian Bashir was in for a very rude awakening.

Garak had made up his mind, after he found the girl in the photo, he was going to call in Merel Atina's favor. She could grant him asylum here in the monastery, perhaps even secure him Bajoran citizenship. He wasn't overly certain about taking up the cloth, as it were, but he had done a lot of things he didn't quite believe in for a lot less. Who knows? As time wore on, perhaps faith in the Prophets would come as well. Cardassians had once worshiped the Hebetian gods whose tenets were very similar to that of the wormhole aliens. Perhaps, like love, faith happened quietly, sneaking up on you until it was just there.

He stroked his hand down Julian's back and smiled tenderly as the doctor burrowed deeper into his chest. He could still see Julian. The doctor came down to Bajor quite frequently, and even if he did accept the robes of a Prylar (if they'd have him) the Bajoran faith accepted the concept of homosexuality easily and did not force celibacy upon its members. And this way, when Julian eventually tired of him, which he undoubtably would, he'd have something to fall back upon.

He kissed the top of Julian's hair and rubbed his chin on the other man's soft curls. He could sell his shop to the lace maker, the Bolean had let him know on previous occasions that he'd be interested in that sort of arrangement. He could donate the proceeds to the order as a sort of good faith buy-in, and perhaps secure a position teaching at the small school here on the grounds. He'd always wanted to become a teacher, but, of course, he'd never told anyone that. He smiled. Enabrin Tain would be livid if he knew his only son and protégé had given everything up to become a Bajoran priest and teach half-cast children how to read and write. That alone made it worthwhile. Perhaps this was his destiny after all.

His eyes darkened with pain and he hugged Julian's sleeping body a little closer. He was utterly in love with this man, he thought. So much so that anything less than a full commitment would slowly drive him into despair. Julian was so young, so full of promise...naturally he didn't want to be saddled with a middle-aged man who only wanted to settle down. He would love Julian for as long as he would allow himself to be loved, but doing this, moving here, was a matter of self-preservation. If Julian left him, he couldn't bear to spend the rest of his life alone on the station. There was no wire in his head to turn to, no other person he considered enough of an equal to the doctor whom he could invite into his bed. He needed a place where he could have the distractions of peace and sunlight and the laughter of children. He'd never find that on Deep Space Nine. Not now.

Garak closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overtake him. Tomorrow they would start the search for the politician's mistress and when they found her, he'd contact Merel and tell her of his decision. It would be a double victory for her, really. Even if they did wind up taking down First Minister Shakaar, she could use his conversion to her sect as a political coup. Here stands Elim Garak, Tain's most feared operative, now a monk in the service of the true faith! If she played her cards right, she could become Kai someday on the merit of his conversion alone, possibly even qualify as a living saint. For that matter, if he ever tired of being a simple monk, who knows? Perhaps he could reach the heights of Vedek.

Vedek Elim Garak, voice of the Ministry of the Forgotten Children.

He chuckled quietly and tugged the covers tighter around them both. He might not ever be the most faithful of their sect, but he could make up what he lacked in piety for what he possessed in ambition.

His mood dampened as Julian made a happy noise in his sleep.

So beautiful, Garak thought as he ran his hand over Julian's naked spine. Such a beautiful man, and so very dangerous. Julian Bashir would be the death of him. He had no other choice but to leave while he still could. It was just a matter of time before Julian destroyed him with this half-love he so brutally wielded like a knife. It cut deep.

Too deeply.

You can't always get what you want, so you settle for what you can have. That's how you've survived, he reminded himself.

Garak ignored the salt burning the corners of his eyes as he breathed in his lover's scent and willed himself to sleep. There would be a life for him here.

A life, but not the life he truly wanted, just the biological instinct to survive for as long as he could.

That's all that really mattered anyway.


	6. Secrets

\---  
Chapter Six: Secrets  
\---

"Okay," Julian said, handing Garak another PADD from the stack he'd been sorting on the floor, "I've been going through all the press coverage of the election and I found her in at least six different pictures." He pointed to each one in turn, "Here's the first one where she's just on the edge of the crowd, here she's actually talking to Shakaar and shaking his hand, in this one, this one, and this one she's in the audience near the front row, and this last one is the one Vedek Merel was sent originally. I can't find anything else with her picture in it and this last one was taken seven weeks ago."

Garak sipped his tea and grinned at Julian. He was barefoot and dressed in a pair of jeans and the blue sweater he usually wore on their weekends together, his hair slightly rumpled and his chin showing morning stubble. He loved these stolen days together and for a minute he allowed himself to indulge in a fantasy. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every day could be like this? No station and no Starfleet to rush back to, just the two of them sorting through riddles and relaxing over a cup of tea?

"Are you even listening to me?"

"No." Garak bent down and gave him a kiss, then handed him his cup. "I'm too busy admiring your blue jeans and naked toes."

"Pervert," Julian scolded, then looked at the tea. "Do I have a cup?"

"Drink mine," Garak said off-handedly as he sat on the couch and began to scan through the PADD in his hand.

"That's gratitude. I spend all morning sorting through all this...stuff - and all I get is a used cup of tea," he said, sipping it, then wincing. "You didn't put enough sugar in it."

"I didn't put any sugar in it," Garak corrected him. "I drink mine black."

"Not anymore." He got up off the floor and dusted off his back side. "I'm going to go corrupt this cup with something sweet. Want anything from the kitchen?"

"Yes. If there are any more of those muffins Danna had at breakfast, I wouldn't mind one or two. That is, if the children haven't wiped them all out." He tapped at the PADD distractedly.

"Good luck," Julian said, kissing the top of his head, then walking over to the door to slip on his loafers. "We've been here for nearly three days, you know. Maybe we should consider making a move before the monks get sick of us."

"I was just thinking of that. Julian?" Garak looked up and motioned the doctor back over to him. "This article? Where did you find it?"

"Uh, over here..." He searched through the PADDs littering the floor and handed one to Garak. "The rally was held in Opalas, about 180 kilometers from here."

"On your way to the kitchen, ask Danna if we can take one of the land transports for a few days. Also ask him if they have a sister parish where we can spend the night. I want to drive out there and ask a few questions."

"Do you think she's there?" Julian asked curiously.

"Possibly," he said. "The girl was in at least one picture at every campaign stop until this one." He held up the PADD. "She isn't seen in any others after the Opalas debate. I'm guessing this is where she might have been buried, if she really was murdered. It's funny..."

"What is," Julian said, sipping the tea and grimacing again.

"It's almost as though she tried to get in every picture on purpose." He held out the PADD and flipped through the shots. "In each one she's looking at the camera, like she's trying to get the photographer's attention. All of them except the last one." He tapped the screen. "In this one she's looking directly at the stage."

"At Shakaar."

"I'm not so sure about that anymore," he said thoughtfully.

"Of course she's looking at Shakaar," Julian said. "She's talking directly to him in one of the pictures!"

"Yes, but look at them." Garak motioned Julian over and he joined him on the couch, "These were all taken by different photographers all working for different news agencies, yet every time she's moving toward the cameraman's line of sight. Even in the photo where she's shaking Shakaar's hand, she's looking for the camera out of the corner of her eye! The only one where she's not looking for the camera is this one. The one that Merel was originally sent." He looked at Julian with a raised eyeridge. "There are two men on that dais, one is Shakaar and the other..."

"Krath Milnar?" Julian said, finally beginning to understand what Garak was hinting at. "You think this whole thing was a set up by the Bajor First candidate?"

"A sex scandal to bring down the liberal candidate isn't exactly a new strategy." Garak shrugged. "Get a girl to pose for the cameras, build your platform on family values and the good of Bajor, then spread a rumor that the man who wants to corrupt Bajor with Federation standards and practices is sleeping with a prostitute - it's almost boring, actually, but at least it's a proven tactic."

"I don't get it," Julian said, staring hard at the PADD, "If Krath wanted to frame Shakaar in a sex scandal, why send an information packet to Vedek Merel? Why not leak it to the press, and why say the girl was murdered? It's more than a little sloppy."

"I agree. We're still missing a few pieces here." Garak sighed and leaned back into the cushions. "Perhaps he intended to kill two birds with one stone? Take out a pesky Vedek active in social programs at the same time by naming her as the mistress's aunt? Perhaps he thought she'd be so easily fooled she'd run to the authorities, exposing Shakaar to public scrutiny? By the time the truth comes out, he's First Minister and Shakaar is out on his ear, a social pariah. The problem is, in order for any of those scenarios to work, there still has to be a body."

"Do you think he'd really kill some girl just to gain a few votes?" Julian asked, his voice laden with doubt. "Even if he got elected, once they found out the truth he'd still be arrested for her murder."

"Supposition, innuendo, and outright mystery! Unless we get out of here, none of this is going to start making any sense!" Garak rubbed the back of his neck and glared at the pile of PADDs littering the floor at their feet. "We aren't accomplishing anything here; all we're doing is taking up space and wasting our time."

"I wouldn't say that," Julian said softly, rubbing his hand down Garak's back. "We found Sinles."

"Who was living less than two miles from a monastery Merel has probably visited on numerous occasions? Had she really wanted to, she could have found her years ago."

"But she didn't," Julian said simply. "You found her, and someday, maybe, Sinles will appreciate the fact that her aunt did try to find her, even if she was late in doing so. If there is something else to all this, then you'll find that, too. I know you, you won't ever drop this until you have all of the answers."

Blue eyes searched brown as Garak looked at the doctor. "You have that much faith in me?"

Julian cupped his cheek and leaned in close. "I have all the faith in the world," Julian said softly. "I don't know if I've mentioned it lately, but I love you."

"I love you, too," Garak whispered against the doctor's mouth, kissing him. He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close, tugging the sweater up just enough so he could place his hand on Julian's bare back. The doctor moved in closer, his hands tangling in Garak's hair as he deepened the kiss.

They both forgot about tea and political intrigue, focusing only on the moment. Garak arose from the couch and held his hand out wordlessly. Smiling, Julian allowed himself to be led to the bedroom, his cock already hardening in response to the heat he saw radiating from the Cardassian's gaze.

Garak closed the door and pulled Julian toward him, his lips meeting the doctor's softly. He slipped his hands under Julian's sweater and pulled it over his head and looked at the lightly bronzed flesh and inhaled his spicy scent. "What are you thinking about?" Julian asked, chuckling at the expression on Garak's face.

"You."

"Me?" he asked, his voice husky with need.

"Just you, only you," They kissed again, but this time was hotter - deeper. Garak ran his hands down Julian's back, then slipped his fingers under the waistband of his jeans, luxuriating in the feel of his smooth naked flesh.

"Are we going to make love or have a conversation?" Julian chuckled, pulling at Garak's tunic.

"Conversation is overrated," Garak replied before shucking off the tunic and reaching for Julian's fly. He unzipped him, then pulled down his lover's trousers and underwear and buried his nose in the dark curls framing Julian's cock, breathing in the musk of his arousal.

"This is unexpected," Julian gasped, stroking Garak's hair as he licked and sucked his cock. "Don't you want to move this to the bed? *gasp* Your knees-?"

"I'm fine." Garak tongued his glans. "More than fine, in fact."

"In that case, don't let me stop you."

"Your generosity overwhelms me, my dear doctor." Garak smiled. He wet his fingers with saliva, then reached between Julian's legs to brush the pads of his fingers against his lover's opening.

"Oh God, yesss..." Julian whimpered, kicking his leg free of his jeans so he could widen his stance, allowing Garak entrance.

Garak concentrated on relaxing the muscles of his jaw, taking the doctor's hardness as deep into his mouth as he could without gagging. His finger probed Julian's tight entrance delicately, easing past the muscle and seeking out his prostate.

"Ah!" Julian lurched and clutched at Garak's head, pulling his face toward him. He shuddered and held his breath, "Careful...I'm going to come if you do that..."

Garak withdrew his finger slightly, then added another, slipping in and out as he sucked and licked Julian's cock. He withdrew his mouth and whispered against him with a small kiss, "But I want to make you come." He kissed Julian's shaft again and moved his tongue downwards. "I want you to always remember this moment, remember me."

"Goddamn you, Garak! Stop playing around and fuck me already!" Julian cried out.

Garak leapt to his feet and kissed Julian fiercely, crushing him to his chest. He backed him up to the closed door, causing the doctor to gasp as Garak growled with animal-like ferocity, biting and sucking at his neck. "Do you like that?" he asked, reaching for Julian's cock and fisting it roughly. "Ask me to come inside you! Tell me!"

"Yes! God, yes! I need you inside me now!" he moaned.

Garak grabbed Julian's shoulders roughly and spun him around so he faced the door. As Julian steadied himself, his hands clutching at the wooden frame, Garak pulled his hips toward him and positioned himself. He pressed the blunt head of his cock against Julian's tight opening and paused, "Tell me how you want it. Do you want it easy?" He eased forward just a little, causing Julian to flinch and moan. "Or rough?" Garak slammed his hips into Julian's causing the doctor to cry out in a mixture of pleasure and discomfort. He was not going to be the gentle lover this time, he thought. This was possibly the last time he and Julian would ever be together like this and he wanted to make it so that every other lover he ever took to his bed would pale in comparison. No one else would or could ever satisfy him again. That would be his sweetest revenge and his greatest gift to Julian Bashir.

Garak held the back of Julian's neck and forced him to bend at the waist. Julian grabbed the doorframe, his knuckles turning white as he held on for dear life. The Cardassian then put his hands on Julian's hips and began to thrust inside of him, his balls slapping against the doctor's thighs, punctuating his words. "You want this, don't you?"

"Y-yes!" Julian gasped.

"And me? You want me? Say it!"

"Yes, oh Christ! Do it!"

Garak shut his eyes and concentrated on keeping himself from coming. "Tell me you'll never let anyone else touch you like this."

"No one," Julian whimpered, his balls drawing up as he felt his belly tighten and his orgasm beginning to rise, "Not ever, just you..."

"Tell me!" Garak demanded, tightening his grip on the doctor's hips as he thrust inside as deep as he could go.

"You! Just you! GARAK!" Julian cried out, screaming in his pleasure as his orgasm splashed against his stomach.

Garak roared in his release, feeling himself spill into Julian. He held his lover tightly as he shuddered and jerked with his own orgasm. He withdrew himself and wobbled as Julian fell to his knees, desperately trying to catch his breath.

"What...the fuck...was that?" Julian gasped, running a shaky hand through his hair as he turned toward Garak, his back leaning heavily on the door.

Garak moved to the bed and fell on the covers face down, mumbling incoherently into the quilt.

"I didn't quite catch that," Julian said, wiping the sweat from his eyes.

Garak turned his head so he was no longer speaking into the mattress. "I said, it was a spur of the moment impulse."

"Well, I liked it." Julian grinned, then winced as he felt the burn in his rectum. "I'm going to be walking bowlegged for a day or so, but it was good. You should have those sort of impulses more often."

"I thought you might enjoy it," Garak said lazily, shutting his eyes. "Usually you take the lead, so..."

"So you decided to make me come so hard my knees turned to jelly?"

"Exactly," Garak mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Well," he said as he yawned and rubbed his neck, "keep doing that and I'll become your little bottom slut instead."

Garak's eyes popped open and he looked up at his lover, supporting his chin on his arm, "Wait a minute, did you just call me your 'little bottom slut'?"

Julian arose from the floor, grinning. He sat beside Garak on the bed heavily and slapped his bare buttocks, "Damn right, and well you should know it!"

"First of all, doctor," Garak said with mock fierceness, "I am not 'little' as your current discomfort should attest to, and secondly, I am not anyone's 'bottom slut'. I do bottom more often, yes, but I am hardly promiscuous. You're the one who has gone through half the Dabo girls and ensigns on the station if I recall correctly. Until you, I had been celibate for over two years."

"Only two years?" Julian frowned, lying back on the bed and letting his legs dangle over the side. "And here I thought you'd been secretly lusting for me the last five years."

"I was," Garak said, yawning, "That doesn't mean I was so enamored with you that I couldn't take a lover."

"A lover or a lay?"

"What's the difference?"

"There's a big difference," Julian said. "A lay is just someone you use to scratch an itch, whilst a lover implies a relationship beyond just releasing some sexual tension."

"He was my lover, I suppose then," Garak said thoughtfully. "We did see each other on more than one occasion, so by your narrow definition, it would be a type of relationship."

"He?"

"Yes."

"A man?"

"You find this surprising?"

"No, of course not," Julian replied, "I was just trying to think of who it could have been. Do I know this person?"

"What difference does it make?" Garak asked.

"It doesn't," Julian said with false casualness, "I'm merely curious, that's all."

"Well, don't be." Garak sat up on the bed and scooted up so he could lean against the headboard. "You may have met him at least once, but it's of no matter. He was a silk merchant and I haven't seen him in two years. He was to be married so we broke things off cleanly."

“Married?” Julian frowned. “So you were, what? His secret lover?”

“No, nothing as sordid as that,” Garak scoffed. “It was an arrangement only and his marriage was as well. In fact, had we been more biologically compatible we may have remained companions indefinitely but we weren’t, so he moved on. There were no secret assignations or hurt feelings, I assure you.” 

"A silk merchant?"

"Yes."

Julian joined Garak at the top of the bed and nestled into his shoulder. "A Bajoran?"

"Of course not," Garak scoffed. "No self-respecting Bajoran would ever have an affair with a Cardassian, at least not on the station. He'd never be able to live it down."

"A human or a Trill, perhaps?"

"No, although I do admit a certain fondness for Lt. Commander Dax," Garak answered thoughtfully. “I find her intriguing and her spots do lend a certain exotic appeal.”

"Who doesn't have a thing for Dax?" Julian smiled. He suddenly looked at Garak with a disgusted expression. "Surely you didn't have an affair with a Ferengi?"

"Great Guls! What do you take me for?" Garak shuddered.

"Then who?"

Garak sighed. "If you must know, he was a Vulcan. His name was Sek and he was from the Vulcanis Lunar colony." He closed his eyes and smiled softly. "He was young and dark-skinned, very intelligent - we played Kal-toh quite a bit when we weren't...engaged elsewhere. I believe he mentioned his father was with Starfleet. Lost in action, unfortunately. Sek sold me some of the finest Vulcan silks I had ever had the pleasure of handling, but really only came to the station to check on the status of his father's ship. Other than myself, there aren't many other tailors who work with that type of material. He was actually losing money by coming to this sector. Vulcan silk is notoriously delicate and difficult to work with. So, when his father and the rest of his crew was officially deemed lost, we parted ways. It wasn't worth his time to keep coming all the way here just for a single client, even if we did have a personal relationship. Last I heard, he went back to the colony and married some Vulcan woman. I believe they have a child now, but I don't know if it was a boy or girl to tell you the truth. We don't correspond or anything; we didn't have that type of relationship."

"A Vulcan?"

"Yes."

Julian looked at him doubtfully. "I didn't think Vulcans were the type of beings who engaged in casual affairs."

"It wasn't casual as much as it was convenient," Garak corrected. "Never mistake a Vulcan's cool reasoning for coldness. He was a very adequate lover and, knowing how strong we Cardassians are, he logically came to the conclusion that I would be a suitable sexual partner. He could, well, express his passion openly and unfettered without fear of hurting me and, as a man of a certain age and experience level, he knew I wouldn't form an emotional attachment. According to him, human and Bajoran females tended to confuse sex with intimacy, so when he traveled he preferred men of a certain age who wouldn't impede him with a lot of conversation or imagine they were falling in love when all they were really doing was fulfilling a biological imperative. "

"That last part sounds like something a Vulcan might say, but the rest of it? The passionate sex? Who ever heard of a passionate Vulcan?"

Garak rolled his eyes. "You're a doctor, surely you realize Vulcans can have sex without being in the midst of their mating imperative?"

"It just..." Julian struggled with his words, "doesn't seem right, I suppose."

"I assure you, I came quite often and was very satisfied by the lovemaking. However," he added, "it was a relationship built on sex, convenience, and intellect. We did not socialize other than the occasional Kal-toh match after intercourse, and he certainly never screamed for me or told me he loved me." Garak smiled indulgently. "Are you jealous?"

"No," Julian said defensively. "It was a few years ago, like you said. Besides, it's not like I have that kind of hold on you. I mean, I prefer to be monogamous, but if you had other lovers, I couldn't really say anything about it, could I?"

"You couldn't?"

"Well, we aren't married or anything," Julian scoffed. "It really wouldn't be my place to say anything."

"I see."

Silence stretched between them before Julian spoke again. "So, you've only taken male lovers since being on the station?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity, like I said." Julian looked at him again. "Have you ever had sex with a woman?"

"Many times," Garak answered lazily.

"How many?"

"I haven't counted. A lot."

"More than twenty?"

"Perhaps. I've never bothered counting."

"More women than men then?"

"No, I prefer men, as well you know, but women have their charms as well." Garak opened his eyes again, "This conversation is delving into some rather intimate areas, wouldn't you say so?"

"Just tell me, specifically, who have you slept with? What is your sexual history?" he urged.

"What do you specifically want to know?"

"The details." Garak's eyeridge rose dramatically and Julian quickly corrected himself, "Not - you know...just the circumstances and general details such as names and whatnot."

"I thought that it was a human courtesy not to 'kiss and tell'?"

"Stop being so damned difficult and talk to me," Julian demanded.

"Ask and I will answer as honestly as I can, but I won't expose my former lovers to speculation, even from you. It would be..." Garak searched for the right phrase, "unseemly."

"Fine, I'll start with the hard questions." Julian took a deep breath. "When you were with the Order working as an interrogator, you didn't...?"

"No." Garak said definitely. "Some did, but not at the level I worked. What you are so diplomatically referring to was done by field commanders and soldiers who were more interested in forcing themselves on men and women so they could prove they had some kind of power over them. Those immoral, vicious, and illegal acts, and despite the wide-spread feigned ignorance of those crimes it was forbidden by our laws even during the Occupation, had nothing to do with information gathering; they didn't even have anything to do with sex! In fact, had I ever caught one of my subordinates engaging in rape, I would have arrested and then disposed of them myself. Rape and pederasty were crimes that carried the death penalty and still do. Even Cardassians have a certain ethical standard we follow during war, or at least, I did." He scrubbed his head in agitation. "I can't believe you even asked -"

"I didn't think you would," Julian said quickly, "but you did torture people, didn't you?"

"At times, when I had no other choice but interrogation and torture are not necessarily the same thing and it was always done as a last resort and only in the most dire of circumstances. A tortured man is not necessarily the most reliable source of information," Garak sighed, suddenly feeling his age weighing heavily upon him. "Julian, you have to understand what it was I did. I can't ever tell you everything, if I did your life would be even more endangered than it is now. I can tell you that my job, what I did for the Order, was to get information any way I could. I did this mostly through being clever and by getting my informants to volunteer the information I needed. If you torture a man, he'll only tell you what you want to hear so you'll stop hurting him. It's better to encourage them to talk by less violent means, make them believe that the truth will set them free or appeal to them in such a way as they want to tell you the truth. Being an interrogator is like being a trusted confessor; the need to confess is inherent in all beings and a good Interrogator is trained to suss that out and I was the very best at what I did."

"You tortured Odo once," Julian said quietly.

Garak winced, his eyes clouded over with shame, "I did, yes, but he forgave me. I did what I needed to do and he understood that."

"Did you ever forgive yourself?" Julian asked softly.

"No. Are we done yet?"

Julian took Garak's hand and rubbed the back of it soothingly. "Were you ever married? Did you have children?"

"No."

"Did you ever want them?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"...because I always knew that I would wind up either an exile or a dead man. I would never put a child through that type of pain and loss."

"Were you ever in love?"

"Yes."

"With someone besides me?"

"Yes."

"With a man or a woman?"

"Both, but it doesn't matter anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because the dead can't love you back," Garak said simply. He got to his feet and walked to the door. "We have to get cleaned up. I want to be in Opalas by this afternoon."

"How did they die?" Julian asked, staring at him from his place on the bed.

"How do you think they died?" Garak asked angrily, his eyes flashing bright with pain. He steadied himself against the door and took a long, shuddering breath. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Why not?" Julian demanded, stepping off the bed and walking toward Garak. "Talk to me, tell me!"

"What difference does it make?" Garak yelled, turning on Julian. "What do you care? It's not like knowing what happened will change the way you feel about me! You'll leave me eventually anyway!"

"How could you say that?" Julian asked, stunned. "I love you, I told you that. Several times!"

"You love me." Garak looked at the floor and laughed bitterly. "Yes, I know you love me, Julian. You love my conversation, you love my wit, you love my talent, you love my COCK! You love me but only just so far and then you stop caring about everyone and everything but yourself. Face it, Julian, you love when it's convenient, when it feels good, but if you ever had to put yourself out there, you'd run. You'd run and you'd never look back."

"That's bullshit!"

"No it isn't!" Garak stepped forward, his face so close to Julian's that he could feel his breath. "You ask all these questions! You demand all these answers, but not once – NOT ONCE-have you ever offered me anything except a pat on the head and a minimum of affection!"

"That's a lie!"

"Is it? Is it really?" Garak grabbed his arm painfully, "You were completely honest with me?"

"Yes!"

"You never withheld anything?"

"Yes, damn it! You're the one who always withheld every damned detail of your life!"

"Then when were you planning on mentioning your genetic enhancements?"

Silence.

Garak looked at him, smiling grimly. "I was very good at my job, Julian. I knew all about you from the first day you set foot on the station, but I never forced you to tell me anything. Not anything - ever! And do you know why? Doyou?!"

Julian, now pale as a sheet and looking slightly faint, whispered, "No."

"Because, unlike you, I know what real love is," Garak said grimly. He loosened his grip on Julian's arm and stroked his cheek. He forced Julian's chin up and looked him in the eye. "I've been in love, the truest of loves; I've seen the pain it brings. I have loved with all of my heart and soul to the point that it nearly destroyed me - it took everything I had and left me a broken man! It took my home, my reputation, and everything I ever was and I would do it again just to feel it one last time!" He took a steadying breath, "I will tell you what true love is, Julian--just so you'll know it when you see it, if you ever get lucky enough to allow yourself to feel something that deeply: Love is not needing to know the secrets, because they don't matter. The only thing that matters is the person you are in love with, not the circumstances of how they became who they are. You merely accept it and move on." He dropped his hand and turned his back on his companion, "The way you are now, you'll never know that kind of love, not even when it's staring you in the face. You'll never have the courage it takes to make that kind of sacrifice...and I feel sorry for you because...it doesn't matter. We have things to do and this is just a waste of time."

"Garak?" Julian asked, feeling sick and disoriented, "Please...please, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"You never do."

Julian trembled, "I-I-I don't know what to say. I guess, I-- Garak, please, what does this mean for us? For me? What do we do now?"

"Now?" Garak opened the door and looked over at his lover, his body bathed in sunlight from the living room window, "Now we get cleaned up and get dressed. We still have a job to do."

"You can't just leave me like that!" Julian shouted, his face red with frustration. "Goddamn you, Garak! I love you! Don't quit on me, that's not fair!"

"I'm not quitting, Julian, and I have no intention of leaving you," Garak said sadly as he turned his back on him, "This isn't about me, it's never been just about me. This is about you."

Julian stood there, still and silent, listening as the water splashed against the tub in the next room. Garak was right.

They still had a job to do.


	7. Hunters

\---  
Chapter Seven: Hunters  
\---

The land transport they borrowed from the monastery was basically a flatbed hover truck which they used to transport livestock and vegetables. Although it was old, the monks kept it in good repair and they arrived in Opalas by early afternoon.

The journey was quiet. Julian, more familiar with hover vehicles, drove them across the countryside as Garak sat quietly beside him staring into the distance. Opalas was one of the last great forests left on Bajor. The Cardassians had pretty much stripped it of most of its natural resources, but the great forest of Opalas remained untouched, mostly due to the fact that a powerful Gul named Justem had claimed this land as his own. He had turned it into a private plantation and filled the forest with rare animals he had collected; he had also preserved some of the last specimens of Bajoran primates and various other native wildlife. It wasn't for altruistic reasons, Gul Justem was an avid hunter, often using Bajoran prisoners as bait or in the place of hounds to run down his prey. When the Cardassians abandoned Bajor, Justem left everything behind.

The Provisional Government had declared Opalas a national park, and a major part of Shakaar's platform which he revealed on that fateful day of his campaign stop, was to take advantage of the Federation's terra forming and soil restoration technology as well as enact controlled strategies to bring back species of native wildlife that had been driven to the point of extinction during the Occupation using Federation science and transform all of Bajor into a lush oasis, much like the park. It was a powerful promise, and one that could very well guarantee him the re-election.

Garak never bothered to look at Julian or to speak. He'd said everything that needed to be said. He could feel Julian's eyes bore into him occasionally and he listened to his companion's grumbles as he drove. Julian wanted him to take it all back, but he couldn't. What was done, was done. Garak had faith that Julian would crawl back into his bed; anger had never stopped Julian from getting an erection. Right now, his feelings were hurt, but he hadn't inflicted any real damage. In order to do that, Julian would have had to actually feel something real and that wasn't the case.

Instead of dwelling, he chose to soak up the sun and enjoy the wind as it swept through his hair. He missed the feeling of freedom. Recycled air pumped through vents and artificial sunlight could never replace this, he thought.

"We're almost at the ranger station," Julian said tersely.

"Good. Owin said he'd talk to the Head Ranger about taking us up in a runabout."

"Oh, so you've decided to speak now? Fantastic," Julian growled. "You haven't said a damned thing in almost two hours and now you're all excited about hopping in a runabout to scour the countryside for a corpse!"

"We don't know that we're looking for a body. We're just investigating this as a homicide until we have enough evidence to indicate otherwise," Garak said calmly, still staring out over the lush hills and valleys.

"Are you going to talk to me about what happened at the cabin or not?"

"I already told you no."

"I have had enough of this!" Julian hit the brakes and the hover-truck lurched suddenly, then settled on the side of the road.

"We're wasting daylight!" Garak finally turned to face Julian. "You're acting like a child, Julian. Really, this isn't the time or the place for this sort of thing."

"Then when is the right time?" Julian asked. "Apparently, you decided the right time to lay all of this shite on me was right after giving me the best sex of my entire life – I happened to think that was very inappropriate timing! Consider this payback, now talk!"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Tell me you love me, tell me you hate me, tell me you never want to see me again or that you want me to kiss you – just tell me that you aren't planning something stupid!"

Garak gave him a disgruntled look. "Fine, but what makes you think I'm planning anything?"

"I know you," Julian said, crossing his arms and leaning on the steering wheel. "You might think I'm a selfish, egotistical bastard - and you may be right - but I've spent the better part of five years doing nothing more than observe you, Garak. Believe it or not, loving you didn't just happen for me a month ago - I have been utterly infatuated by you for years, and now that I know you know about the...enhancements, you know I'm smart enough to at least figure out when you're planning to leave me."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Right."

"I'm not leaving you," Garak repeated, "I'm not. I'm...leaving the station."

Julian just looked at him, absorbing what he just said. "That's insane."

"I don't happen to think it's insane at all," Garak said reasonably. "Merel agreed to offer me sanctuary within the monastery if I found her niece, which I have. I intend to collect on her promise after we finish what we started."

"You can't live there."

"Why not?"

"It’s absolute bollocks, that’s why not! You're a bloody Cardassian! This is Bajor - think about it!" Julian ran his hands through his curly dark hair, obviously frustrated beyond words. "You don't belong here and even if you could, by some miracle, get permission to live here, every assassin and bounty hunter in the sector will be after you, not to mention the locals who would love nothing more than to hang you up by your lovely neck!"

"Cardassian or no, I don't think any Bajorans would be willing to hang one of their clergy by the neck, no matter how angry they are. As for assassins, there hasn't been a hint of anyone looking for me in at least a year or two and Dukat would hardly be stupid enough to sneak into a monastery just to slit my throat."

"But you aren't one of their clergy - you're an ex-spy for the Cardassians!"

"I will be, though," Garak said stubbornly. "I'm joining the order. I'm going to take up the robes of a penitent Prylar."

Julian blinked, then began to snicker. "Oh. Oh, I see. You're joking. This was all a joke, right?"

"No." Garak glared at him. "I'm quite serious."

"But - but you don't even believe in the Prophets, for God's sake! You're a bloody atheist!" Julian held his sides in laughter. "Oh, this is rich! You almost had me worried there."

"I'm not laughing, Julian. I intend to remain here."

Julian looked at Garak's hard expression and his smile added. "Garak...you can't possibly mean to do this. It’s absolutely mad."

"Why not?"

"Garak, sweetheart," Julian said soothingly, "first off, you're a Cardassian and by definition, not among the Prophet's chosen followers. Besides, as far as I’m aware, being religious is a major requirement toward becoming a monk. It won't work! You can't just decide to be a Prylar and not believe in what you're representing. It's hypocrisy!"

"Danna is a monk, so are at least three others at the monastery who all have Cardassian blood. If they can do it, so can I. Besides," he added, "faith may come later, and even if it doesn't, I can still perform all the necessary functions I need to survive."

"Danna and the others are also half Bajoran." Julian sighed and put his hand on Garak's arm. "I realize I hurt you when I said I wasn't ready to make a full commitment, but you have to see reason. Your life is on the station with me."

"But I don't have a life there," Garak said softly. "Julian, we can still be together on Bajor. You come down here at least once or twice a month anyway and you can visit on the weekends. It won't be any different really."

"Yes it will," Julian said, taking Garak's hands in his and stepping toward him. "Can't you see that? We won't be able to spend the night together anymore - you'll be restricted to the monastery until you become a full-fledged Prylar, and even then, you won't be allowed to go anywhere - it would be too dangerous. You're talking about living in a cage, Garak."

"And the station isn't a cage?" Garak laughed and flung his arms out, looking all around him. "Look at this! Sun, air, grass - if I have to live my life as a prisoner, then I'd much rather live it here, where at least I don't feel the damned walls crushing in on me."

"So, tell me something. This decision you've made, is it really about me or is it about you just wanting some R and R?"

Garak stilled. "Honestly?"

"Yes, I want you to be honest even though it scares the hell out of me to ask." Julian looked at him somberly. "Lately, all this honesty you've been sharing has made me miss the half-truths and deceptions."

Garak didn't smile. Julian wasn't making a joke, in fact, he looked as though he were about to shatter in a million pieces. "If I thought that you would ever really want me, I'd stay on Deep Space Nine. I'd put up with Odo's security measures and the stares of all the strangers, I'd even put up with only having you part-time. But, as much as I love you, I know that you will leave me. It might not be on purpose, but eventually something will happen; you'll get a transfer, or you'll get killed doing something stupid, or you'll meet someone else. I have to do this while I still can."

"Why? Why now?" Julian's eyes were filling with tears.

"Because if I wait, I won't survive losing you."

"Garak..." Julian reached toward him and kissed him softly. "What makes you think that will ever happen?"

"I...I just-"

"No." Julian kissed him again, wrapping his arms around his waist. "No one knows the future, no one. All I'm asking for is some time. Not a lot, just enough to make sure that we're ready for each other."

"And then what?" Garak asked, melting into the embrace.

"I don't know - I can't know. Do I think I could spend the rest of my life with you? Yes, but I won't know for sure until I have more time. I'm not you, Garak. I don't plan for every little contingency. I just live day by day the best I can."

"And I can't promise I won't stay here," Garak said sadly. "I'm sorry, but I can't live my life hoping that you'll eventually want me, all of me. You have to understand that. I don't want to lose you, but I also need to protect myself."

Julian crushed Garak to his chest and held him there. "I'm not giving you up, do you understand me? If this is what you have to do, fine - you do it, but you aren't getting rid of me." He tilted Garak's chin up and kissed him. "I'm going to be annoying as hell, turning up every other day to interfere with your gardening and every weekend I'm going to make you scream so loud the monks will evict us permanently."

"And if I truly want to stay?"

Julian smiled. "Then I guess I'll have to get an earring, too. The Prophets will be having a banner year for recruiting new clergy."

"You wouldn't give up your commission," Garak protested, his heart skipping a beat as he allowed himself the hope that perhaps Julian was finally beginning to take a crucial step forward.

"Let's face it, I knew joining Starfleet was a risk," Julian said seriously. "My parents both warned me that I'd be found out. As much as I'd like to believe that your talents were the only thing that allowed you to uncover my secret, I know that eventually someone will figure it out. I chose Deep Space Nine hoping that if I took a posting far enough away from Earth, I could keep my enhancements under wraps and still practice medicine. How was I to know a bloody wormhole would pop up out of nowhere?"

Garak chuckled. "It was a bit of a shock. Still, you might be right. I only discovered what I did because of my contacts in the Orion syndicate. If no one has found out by now, they may never."

"I hope so," Julian said, "but as long as I can, I'm going to try to live my life as I have been. I think the main reason I kept myself from loving you or anyone else completely was because I had this hanging over my head for so long."

"And now?"

"Well, it's still there, but at least now I know I can trust you." Julian nuzzled his cheek and whispered in Garak's ear. "And believe me when I say I never thought I'd ever be able to say that. If I can trust Elim Garak, then anything is possible."

They stood together, kissing for several minutes, their light touches growing more passionate until finally, Garak pulled away with a gasp. "We're in the middle of the road on a produce truck; this is not the most appropriate place for doing this."

"Not to mention the fact that the ranger was expecting us half an hour ago," Julian said ruefully. He leaned in and flicked his tongue over Garak's earlobe. "If we weren't in the middle of this damned investigation I'd take you here and now."

Garak groaned. "Don't do that, my tunic isn't long enough to save me from embarrassing myself. The ranger will assume I'm a rampaging sex manic!"

"If he so much as tries to put the moves on you, I'll snap him like a twig!" Julian grinned, squeezing Garak's buttocks possessively.

"Tell me, did one of those enhancements involve transplanted Klingon DNA?"

"No, but it would have been nice," Julian said as he got back behind the wheel and headed toward the Opalas National Forest. "You do know that they have redundant reproductive systems—well mostly. They only have one ball but I could still be coming with one cock while fucking you silly with the other."

"And to think, all this time I'd been ignoring Mr. Worf. Had I known, life might have been a lot more interesting..."

\---

The ranger was a large, burly Bajoran with several scars and a dark complexion which testified to his time outdoors. Apparently, Bukash, their guide, was a relative of one of the clergymen. As distasteful as he found the idea of escorting a Cardassian around the air space above the park, he was still respectful toward Merel Atina and Owin Grea.

Occasionally he threw them a dark look, particularly when Julian very possessively and purposely placed his hand at the small of Garak's back. Julian merely ignored him and continued to fine tune the sensors so they would be able to detect a decaying Bajoran body and eliminate all other methane sources, such as dead animals, leaves, and sewage.

"If there is any dead woman down there, the remains are long gone," Bukash said. "You're wasting your time. Between the rodents and scavengers, there won't be so much as a bone left."

"There would still be a faint vapor trail or some lingering bio-signature," Julian said, not looking up from the monitors.

"Bio-scans won't work," he said brusquely. "There are plenty of things in those woods just as big or bigger than a person. We've got reports of giant bats, diggers, Yar-bear, sabre bear, targs, and even a pack of riding hounds down there! Justem was one crazy fuck. When he took off, he basically released a private zoo that has taken over the better part of the forest."

"I can eliminate those signs, but it'll still take time to figure out where they could have dumped a body," Julian said, obviously becoming frustrated. "This forest is huge and these sensors aren't nearly as powerful as the ones we use on the station."

"That's the other thing I tried to explain this to the Ranjen when he called - you can't get in those woods without having some serious clearance! All of this air space is restricted and there's no way anybody could just wander in." He indicated his facial scars. "I got this when some kids decided to go on a nature hike and ran into one of those Vulcan bears, a sehlat they call 'em. The kids had heard that you're supposed to be able to domesticate the fucking things. They thought they were all cute and cuddly looking until it came at them with those six inch long fangs and claws! I barely got 'em out alive. Now, only certified rangers are allowed to patrol in the hot spots and even then we don't do it by foot."

Garak looked at him thoughtfully. "But if someone did have clearance - let's pretend it was because they were in a diplomatic shuttle craft - and wanted to get rid of a body, where would the most logical dumping spot be? It would have to be somewhere that was somewhat protected so something would be left of the remains. You can't frame someone without evidence, so it would have to look like it was dumped there by someone who missed their true target. The body can't be out in the open, but it would have to be visible to sensors." Garak held up a finger in emphasis. "Are there any ravines or caves that would be protected by the larger scavengers? Anything like that?"

"No," Bukash said, then paused. "Wait a minute, let me think." He turned the shuttlecraft west and headed for a low lying mountain range. "We don't have any place like that within the Park, but on the edge of the forest, there are several rocky outcroppings and weird rock formations. Technically, it falls outside of our regular patrol because it isn't considered to be within the borders of the Opalas National Forest, but some of the animals migrated out there. We've had reports of some wolf packs, mammoth, and bears out there as well as a lot of scavengers. The food supply isn't as plentiful so we get complaints from the farmers and ranchers that some of the protected wildlife from the Park keep killing off their herds and ripping through their fields. Right now, there's this big controversy within the Provisional Government about fencing in the borders so the animals have to stay confined."

Julian looked up, "What do you think?"

"Personally, I think we should consider it. We have a herd of Wild Ktarian ponies that keep wandering into the populated areas. Like I said before, we post all kinds of signs telling people not to approach the wild animals but every year we get at least three reports of someone getting hurt or killed because a horse bucked up on them. Damned idiots," he grumbled. "These animals weren't meant to be here in the first place, and now that they're here and a part of the eco-system, people gotta learn to leave 'em the hell alone, no matter how 'cute' they are."

"We've had similar problems on Earth," Julian said thoughtfully. "What about force fields or invisible fencing?"

"See, the problem is that Gul Justem brought a lot of species from several planets here to create his own private little hunting grounds. Some of these animals are smart, bordering on sentience, and others are just plain deadly. We even have some that can walk through a level 10 force field like it's thin air! For the most part, the mountain range and the river fence the forest in naturally, but with terraforming and soil replenishment technology being the big political shit fit this year, a bunch of farmers and ranchers are crowding the animals because of the rich soil deposits in Opalas." He sighed. "I understand both sides. The farmers are sayin' it's more important to feed our own people than to preserve a bunch of animals that don't even belong here, but it's not like Cardassia left us with a great ecosystem after they fucked us during the Occupation. No offence." He turned to Garak.

"None taken." Garak looked out toward the mountain range as they approached. "I never met Gul Justem, but you were fairly accurate in your description of him. The man was a sadist. He was arrested and executed not even a year after his return to Cardassia for crimes against the State."

"What did he do?" Julian asked, his interest obviously piqued.

"No one ever said, but I heard whisperings. His sexual and violent proclivities extended toward his own family as well as his servants. From what I understand, his wife quickly remarried and is now much happier for it."

"He was a real son of a bitch, that's for sure, but these animals represent the future of Bajor, for better or for worse. Other than a few species of vermin and bats, they're all we have." He motioned Garak over toward the front of the craft. "See this ridge line? There are some pretty weird rock formations over here, lots of niches and deep caverns. We're between the forest and private land, so you wouldn't actually need clearance to fly over here, but it's pretty harsh territory so we don't get a lot of foot traffic. Not too many of the animals wander up this far, but I do know of some goats and bear, and someone called in a sighting of something they thought was a le-matya. We told 'em that according to our records Justem never imported one, not that he wouldn't have if he'd been able to. Something like that - poisonous claws and a cross between a dragon and a tiger - it'd be right up his alley."

"I'm picking something up," Julian said excitedly. "Over there, near that outcropping!"

Bukash landed the shuttle on a flat spot near the ridge and the three of them exited the craft. "Here," said as he handed them both a phaser rifle. "I'll take point. The phasers are on mild stun, but if we run up on something tough, you shoot to kill, understand? My job is to protect the animals here, but not at the expense of someone's life." He grinned and handed a rifle to Garak, "Not even a Cardie."

"I appreciate that," Garak said dryly as he checked and made sure the weapon was charged and operational.

Julian waved them over. "I'm getting bio-readings from about 200 meters east of here. It's definitely the remains of a humanoid as well as those of several species of small rodents."

Bukash took the point and, after a few minutes, they came to a rocky clearing. The smell was fairly rank, and Garak felt his eyes begin to water as the thick oily scent of rotting flesh hit his senses. "I believe we found our body, doctor."

"Yes, but where?" Julian asked, looking around.

Bukash took a well-washed bandana out of his back pocket and tied it around his face, leaning his rifle against his leg in case he had to grab it quickly. "I'm thinking it's over there, under that rock shelf. See those small bones over there?" He pointed and both men looked. "There's only one animal I know of that hunts like that."

"Riding hound," Garak said thoughtfully.

"Right. Don't ask me what the hell he's doing this high up, but if he's been kicked out of the pack, he's either hurt or old. He's also hunting small game so he's gonna be hungry. Keep alert."

"But wouldn't an animal that large have eaten the remains by now?" Julian asked quietly, moving to stand near Garak as he scanned the area with his tricorder.

"Riding hounds won't eat decaying flesh, no matter how hungry they are," Garak explained quietly. "They're omnivores, but when they eat meat, it has to be fresh."

"They're also smart, bordering on downright scary," Bukash added, looking around as they approached the rock shelf. "He's been using that body as a lure for the voles and other scavengers. That won't be your crime scene up there. He probably found the body and dragged it over there to protect it, built himself a trap using the body as bait."

Julian stepped forward, breathing through his mouth, and ducked under the rock shelf as Garak and Bukash stood watch. "I've got it. The body is barely recognizable; the flesh is desiccated and the bones were obviously shattered. It's fairly impossible to tell if it is male or female by sight, but it is certainly humanoid." He started his scan. "According to these readings, the animal probably found it weeks ago. You were right." He turned to Bukash. "I'm detecting saliva from a Cardassian riding hound, but only a minimum of animal predation. The torso is well-preserved and relatively untouched but there is some evidence that scavengers got to it early on. She's missing some fingers and toes."

"She?" Garak asked.

"She," Julian confirmed. "It's a woman."

"Is it the woman from the picture?" Garak turned to look over to Julian.

He bent closer to the remains but shook his head. "She's too badly decomposed to verify if it's who we're looking for. The hair appears blonde, but for all we know it could have been bleached out by the sun before the hound dragged it down here and her nose is gone, a victim of predation just like her other small appendages, I imagine. I'm pretty sure you're right about this being a secondary scene. I'm going to put a beacon near the remains so we can beam it up into the shuttlecraft then back down to the monastery."

"Why not take it straight to the station?" Garak asked.

"Chain of evidence. She's a Bajoran citizen and so the remains have to stay on the planet for now. Bukash, do you have jurisdiction or do we need to get clearance from the local constable?"

"Technically, we're on the edge of my jurisdiction here. There shouldn't be a problem, but since the Ranjen told me some of what you guys are doing here, we need to go by the book. When we get back to my shuttle, I'll call the constabulary and tell them what we found. That way they can give me authorization and I'll stay with you men until we get to the monastery and transfer the remains into your custody." Bukash looked around. "You better go ahead and get whatever samples you need. A riding hound wouldn't leave his trap for long and we don't know how feral he's gone."

"It'll just take me a minute or two to get what I need, then you can take the shuttle up and transport the body while Garak and I get the rest of the samples. We're going to have to find the primary scene before we-" Julian stopped. Standing over him on the outcropping was a very large, very thin dog-like creature the size of a pony with slightly serpentine features and smooth scales. It was relatively hairless except for a thick, dark ruff of fur that began at a widow's peak on its forehead and merging merged into a lion-like mane down its neck. It emitted a low growl as it advanced, obviously communicating to the doctor that he needed to back off.

"Shit." Bukash said quietly. "You need to back away slowly. Don't panic, and don't make any sudden movements – the minute you're clear, I'll put it down."

Garak stepped forward slowly, his rifle at the ready. "Walk backwards toward me. I have you covered."

At the sound of Garak's voice, the hound's ears perked up and he began to pant. He made a low keening sound and scratched at the rock, bobbing his head up and down. He dropped to the floor and rolled over, his tongue lolling out of his massive jaws as he stared at Garak, obviously in submission.

"I'll be damned," Bukash said quietly. "That thing knows you're a Cardie. Stay where you are, doc. You, uh..."

"Garak," the Cardassian supplied quietly, not taking his eyes off the animal.

"Garak. You put your rifle down slowly and walk toward the doctor. I've got you covered in case he's playing us." Bukash adjusted his grip on the rifle. "See what he does, but be careful and walk slow and evenly."

"No, Garak," Julian said quietly, frozen in place. "Stay put."

"It'll be all right," Garak assured him, setting the gun down and leaning it on the trunk of a nearby tree. "I'll be there momentarily."

As Garak approached the doctor, his hands low and away from his sides to show the animal he was unarmed, the hound got back to his feet and tilted his head curiously. His ears were perked up, and for one giddy moment, Garak almost thought the animal was smiling at them. Steeling his nerves and trying not to panic as the animal hopped down off the ledge and began to limp toward him, he continued his slow journey toward the doctor.

The animal was within a foot of Julian when it stopped and began to sniff him curiously. Garak felt his heart catch in his chest and he froze. The animal was as tall as his human companion, and even as emaciated as he was, outweighed him easily by several hundred pounds. He listened for the click as Bukash adjusted the power output on the rifle. If the animal attacked, he wouldn't want to use a wide beam this close to Julian.

The riding hound sniffed Julian's hand thoughtfully and looked first at him, then at Garak. He sniffed the air, then turned back to Julian, his head lowered. The animal stretched out his neck and his long, red tongue snaked out, lapping at the doctor's now shaking hand.

"Oh thank you God," Julian whispered, his shoulders beginning to slump. He carefully reached out his hand and touched the animal's neck. He flinched, but did not object when Julian stroked him tentatively. "I think he's hurt."

Bukash slowly lowered his rifle, slinging it on his back and he and Garak joined the doctor. "That foreleg looks bad," he said, bending down slowly and examining him. "It's not broken but there's a nasty cut on it and an infection." He touched the animal's withers and the hound whipped his head around, emitting a sound which was between a soft growl and a whine. "Easy there, big fella. You've been in a fight, huh?" He got up and looked at Julian and Garak. "He's not very old for a riding hound, probably about ten or so. He wasn't more than a whelp when the Occupation ended. I'm guessing he's in his first mating season, which is where he got the wounds. The bull hound probably thought he was too much competition."

Bukash reached out, slowly but assuredly, and took the hound's face in his hands. The animal seemed nervous, but his mannerisms put him somewhat at ease. "He's got a bad infection and his eyes are pink, which means he's dehydrated and feverish." His lips tightened and his face grew still. "With medical attention and food, he'll live, but he won't be accepted within the pack. He can't make it on his own out here, too many predators even for someone his size, and the minute he crosses into the bull hound's territory, he'll be ripped to pieces. I'm thinking we should go ahead and put him down."

"But-" Julian looked from the Bajoran ranger to the animal, "if he can be treated, why can't we just let him live?"

Bukash shook his head. "Sorry doc, an animal this size isn't a house pet. He's survived this long only because he was in a pack. Without the pack, he won't make it through winter. No one has the resources or the room for an animal like this. It's the law of the wild; letting him die out here would be cruel."

Garak stepped forward and touched the animal softly. The hound whimpered and butted his large face against his hand, demanding affection. "I rode one of these when I was just a child," he said softly. "He was much bigger than this one, and half wild. It was one of the best memories I had of my f-childhood." He cleared his throat. "What if we transported him to the monastery? A hound, even a young one, could be an asset on the farms, and the veterinarians there could treat his wounds."

"He's still a wild animal," Bukash said.

"He's at least semi-domesticated," Julian argued, "enough at least that he recognized Garak as a Cardassian. If he can't be trained, then maybe we can find a zoo or a private collector who'll take him in."

Bukash shook his head. "Fine. I sure as hell don't want to put him down much less dig a hole that big. Listen, he can't be transported like this though - he'll panic the minute he arrives in the monastery. Do you have anything in your medical kit to sedate him? He won't fit in the shuttle."

"Yes, I might." Julian took a hypospray from the pack at his side and adjusted the dosage. "Keep him calm, all right?"

Garak held the animal's snout, rubbing it soothingly as Julian administered the sedative. Within a few seconds, the animal began to blink and shift his stance.

"Back up," Bukash ordered. "He's nice and friendly now, but when he goes down he might panic and lash out. Slow and steady."

They stepped back and the hound sat heavily on his haunches, a look of confusion written all over his face. "That's it, time to take a nap," Julian said quietly. The animal dropped down and laid his head on his forelegs, his eyes shutting. "Give him another minute just to be sure."

The three men remained still as the hound adjusted himself, laying over on his side. Within several seconds his breathing became slow and measured. "Okay." Julian walked over and opened the riding hound's massive jaws, pulling out the long tongue and laying it out to the side, "You go ahead back to the shuttle and transport him first, then the body. Tell the head monk, Prylar Danna, what to expect. He'll give you the coordinates for the two transports. Garak and I will stay here and document the scene and the evidence. Can you set your communicator to my frequency?"

"Already done."

"Good. We'll comm you when we're ready to be beamed up." Julian took out his tricorder and scanned the animal.

"Are you checking his respiration or something?" Garak asked, kneeling down and placing his hand on the hound's chest and feeling its heart thumping steadily against his ribs.

"No, I'm programming his DNA signature into my tricorder," he said. "Since he moved the body from what we assume is the original drop, I might be able to track his movements. He's wounded so I'm guessing his hunting grounds won't be very extensive."

"Very clever," Garak praised.

"Thank you, I thought so, too." Julian returned his grin.

"I'll get going," Bukash said, heading for their transport. He stopped and reluctantly turned toward Garak. "You know, you aren't all that bad...for a Cardie, I mean."

"Thank you," Garak said dryly, rising to his feet, "you're somewhat alright for a Bajoran, yourself."

"That's fair." Bukash held out his hand offering it to Garak.

He clasped the man's hand. "Thank you for your help."

"Thank you for not getting us eaten," Bukash chuckled, "although technically I suppose you had nothing to say about it either way." He released Garak's hand and headed toward the shuttle. "I'll comm you when I'm ready to transport."

As he walked away, Julian held out his hand for Garak to help him up. Julian watched the man walk out of sight before turning to his lover. "I'd like to second that sentiment. If I'm going to be devoured today, I prefer it be by a Cardassian who views me as an incredibly sexy human being and not as a tasty treat."

"What if," Garak wrapped his arms around Julian and looked up into his eyes, "you could have both?"

"Well..." he leaned in towards Garak, his eyes gleaming mischievously.

//Bukash to Bashir//

Julian's face reflected his disappointment at not being able to finish the kiss. He hit his comm badge. "Are you ready to transport the animal?"

//Doing it now. Make sure you're clear.//

Julian and Garak stepped away from the drugged animal and watched as it began to shimmer and vanish.

//He's in the buffer so now I'm transporting it to the monastery. Prylar Danna said they'll have the animal secured by the time you get back and he'll store the remains in the Temple infirmary. I got the all-clear from the village constable; all he asked for was a release form and to be copied on any files. Comm me when you're ready to transport the remains. Bukash out.//

"Well, I suppose we better get moving if we want those samples," Julian said, walking toward the rock shelf.

"First things first," Garak gripped his arm and pulled him back, kissing him gently.

"Keep that up and we'll never get this done," Julian whispered.

"Then let's go," Garak grinned, kissing him softly one last time. "We need to get this done quickly and head back, but later I promise I'll show you just how tasty I think you are."

"Promises, promises," Julian said as they walked toward the remains, hand in hand. Julian leaned down and scanned the body again. "I'll have to do a more thorough examination later, but according to these readings, this poor girl wasn't the only victim."

"Someone else's DNA is on the body?" Garak asked, searching the remains with sharp eyes.

"In the body," Julian said sadly. "She was pregnant. She's at least three to four weeks along."

Garak looked up at Julian thoughtfully. "That would be a pretty good motive for murder, especially if it came out that she was carrying the child of a political candidate."

"Shakaar isn't married," Julian pointed out.

"Yes," Garak said, "but if she really was a sex worker, it won't look very good. Still, you have a point. If Shakaar wanted to avoid a scandal, he could have had his spin doctors fix the situation. He could have paid her off, or if he was desperate, married her and made it sound like he was saving her from a life of scandal. We'll need a DNA sample from him to be sure."

"Oh, that'll be fun," Julian said sarcastically. "Bashir to Ranger Bukash."

//You ready?//

"When you transport the body, be sure to take some of the rock face, at least a quarter of a centimeter in depth, and about a three centimeter margin around the body. Tell Danna how we're doing it so he can be prepared."

//Doing it now.//

"We need to find that primary scene," Julian said to Garak.

"Have the ranger see if he can detect any residual trails from where he is and give us an idea of the terrain," Garak suggested.

"Bukash, see if you can track the riding hound's DNA trail from up there and tell us about where to start looking for the primary crime scene."

//Okay, let me transport the remains first// As he spoke, the air surrounding the body shimmered and it disappeared along with a cleanly shaven slate of rock beneath it. //I'm detecting the animal's last bio-signature...You need to head east. That's where he seems to hunt. Makes sense because he'd be downwind so none of his prey can detect him as easily. There's a flat spot on top of the mountain that looks like a likely spot about two and a half miles from your location. It's been too long to detect anything from our hound from up here, but it's within his range. I'll transport you and save you the walk; it's pretty rough territory.//

"That would be great. Ready when you are."

Julian and Garak stood close as the air around them seemed to sizzle and burn. There was a smell of ozone and the usual mild disorientation, and then the world changed almost instantly. The view from there was magnificent and Garak held his breath slightly, "Look at all the trees..."

"This reminds me a little of the mountains around Tennessee and Virginia," Julian said softly. "I can understand why Shakaar is determined to build his campaign around it. Just think, all of Bajor was once this green and lush."

"Before my people came here," Garak said grimly.

"It's not like you had anything to do with it."

"True," Garak admitted reluctantly, "but if I could go back in time, I would have done things differently. I probably would have listened to Tain more, advanced in rank so I could be a part of the elective council. Then again, if I had, I would probably been seen as a radical and lost in the end anyway....and I never would have met you."

"And if my parents hadn't been ashamed of having a child who was less than perfect, I wouldn't be here," Julian said, looking over toward his companion. "Age has a way of showing us why we had to go through what we did in order to be who we are."

"Still, I have my regrets," Garak said, adjusting the strap of his rifle and then reaching for his own tricorder in his belt pack. "One regret I now have after seeing this place is that I never asked to be stationed on Bajor. It's beautiful here."

"You had never been to Bajor before your exile?"

"I came here, yes, but I was never officially assigned here until just before my exile. It was supposed to be temporary; I wasn't meant to be here for more than a few weeks...obviously it didn't work out that way." Garak smiled slightly. "Are you digging for more details?"

"After what happened last time, I think I'll leave it alone....unless you want to volunteer anything?" Julian asked hopefully.

"I'll tell you what. After we finish with what we have to do down here and get back to the monastery, I'll answer a few questions - as long as they don't delve into anything classified." He looked at Julian pointedly, "Cardassia may have rejected me, but I took an oath. Exile doesn't change that."

"Agreed, I'll settle for anything that involves more than a list of your favorite foods and which lubricants you prefer." Julian quirked an eyebrow. "Although a discussion on lubricant and its many uses wouldn't be completely unwelcome at this point."

"I think we've already figured that part out," Garak chuckled. "Now, back to the job at hand. I'm picking up traces of dried blood over there near the edge."

Julian walked over to where Garak was pointing. He knelt down and examined the rock, "There's some blood stains here, but they're pretty faint. It's rained quite a bit since the debate, if that's when she died. There is a definite splatter pattern, though." He scanned the area. "It's our corpse's DNA all right, but we can't be sure it's who we're looking for. It could be a coincidence."

"Very doubtful."

"I agree, but we're going to have to prove all of this in court, and unlike Cardassian justice, Bajor and the Federation believe their accused are innocent until proven guilty."

"That can be bothersome at times, but I've learned to appreciate Federation patience since I've remained alive because of it," Garak admitted. "Still, there are aspects to swift and decisive justice one can appreciate. Throwing pregnant women out of shuttles deserves some amount of vengeance in my opinion."

"You think she was thrown out?"

Garak sighed and knelt down near the stains on the rock, "If she were merely transported, the blood would have pooled, not splattered. You'll have to perform a detailed autopsy, but I'm willing to bet she was alive when she left that craft. See here?" Garak pointed to some rocks on the side of the cliff, "The blood pattern and the way it flowed indicate she was alive for at least a few minutes after she landed on the cliff. Her heart was still beating - this was arterial splatter."

"It could have been from the impact," Julian argued.

"No," Garak said. "The impact patterns are in a more regular pattern. Step back," Garak ordered and Julian arose to join him, "It's faint, but do you see the void in the blood stains? That was where her body was laying." He punched in a few commands on his tricorder and a thin blue beam of energy emerged and split, lighting up all the blood residue. "There, that's better."

"I see it," Julian said, walking around the laser-defined crime scene. "This looks like her femoral artery was severed, possibly by a broken bone. I won't know until I examine her, but it's fairly obvious she died as a result of impact." He began punching in data to his tricorder and looked up, squinting against the sunlight. "They must have been flying fairly low, though."

"The mountains have a lot of naturally magnetic ore," Garak said. "The pilot might have been using it to confuse any ground sensors."

"I'll go ahead and concur with that," Julian said thoughtfully. "It also goes to prove there was a certain amount of premeditation. Bajor has a death penalty, at least for now. It's one of the major obstacles blocking their entry into the Federation."

"The other being the Bajor First party."

"And them as well," Julian said. "Shakaar has been vehemently opposed to the continuation of capital punishment. If the evidence points towards him, his politics won't help his case."

"Let's finish taking samples and beam back up to the shuttle. We need to get better acquainted with our victim and then we need to have a sit down with First Minister Shakaar."


	8. The Politician's Woman

\---  
Chapter Eight: The Politician's Woman  
\---

Garak stood outside of the large gate to one of the smaller barns on the monastery grounds and watched as Danna and Reven, the Order's large animal vet, examined the hound. A couple of the children wandered over, their faces bright with curiosity and wonder at the sight of such a large canine.

"Can we ride him?"

Garak looked down at the small Bajoran girl pulling at his tunic. "Not yet, my dear. He's very ill."

"Is he gonna die?"

Garak turned to the half-Cardassian boy he'd seen when he first arrived. The child appeared to be around seven or eight. "I don't think so, no, but we have to wait for Prylar Reven to finish his examination first."

"My mama got sick and died," he said quietly. "The Prylars couldn't do anything for her either."

Garak looked at the boy, not knowing exactly what he should say. "What's your name?"

"Lewin."

"Hello, Lewin. My name is Garak."

"Garak is a funny name," the little girl said, walking over to hold Lewin's hand.

"It's my last name, that's why."

"What's your real name then?" she asked.

Garak squatted down so he could look her in the eye, "Elim, but no one calls me that. What's your name?"

"Her name's Kela; she's my sister," Lewin said. "She's four."

"Kela...that's a very pretty name," Garak said, touching her shoulder gently. "I'm sure everything will be fine." He looked from one to the other as he spoke. "In fact, I'll bet if you got some fruit and grain for the riding hound, that would help a lot."

"Yeah. Yeah we can do that," Lewin said, his face brightening. "Should we go ask Prylar Lum for some fish heads as well?"

"That would be a good idea, just tell him they have to be fresh - not the ones left over from last night. Those can go to the boar."

"You look like Lewin," Kela said, touching Garak's cheek. "Are you his real daddy?"

Lewin flinched. "Kela..."

"I don't have a daddy, but if you're Lewin's daddy maybe you could be mine, too." Her brown eyes were bright with hope.

Garak swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat, "No, my dear. I never knew your mother, but I can be your friend if you like. Would that be all right?"

"I guess, but I'd rather have a daddy," Kela said, obviously disappointed. "I always wanted one."

"So did I," Garak said quietly. He got up to his feet and looked at them both, "It seems we three have something in common. That said, I can't think of anyone better qualified than the two of you to help care for the riding hound. Lewin," he said as he patted the boy on the shoulder, "Your job is to feed him. He needs to be fed at least four times a day, small meals at first and then you can add more grains and fruits to his diet. He'll also need someone to wash his mane and help Reven take care of his wounds."

"I can do that!" He grinned, his face suddenly animated. "I can get some of the other kids to help, even!"

"And you, young lady, your job is to name him."

"Really?" she asked, clapping her little starfish shaped hands together. "I can name him anything I want to?"

"Within reason," Garak smiled softly. "You'll have to get to know him first, though. We wouldn't want to give him a name that didn't fit, would we?"

"No, I promise I'll do real good, Elim," she said, bouncing up and down. "Can I go tell my friends now?"

"Go on, and don't forget to stop by the kitchen first. Our friend is very hungry!"

Garak watched with amusement as the two children ran toward the central building, shouting excitedly at their friend who were playing in the small playground near the school.

"I wish I had a tenth of their energy."

Garak looked over to Prylar Reven who was wiping his hands on a rag. "I'd settle for half that. How's the animal?"

"Good, better than I thought he'd be," Reven answered with a nod. "He wouldn't have made it another week like that. The wound had staph in it and he's terribly malnourished. He's fairly tame, though, and he's enjoying all the attention. I'll have to shave off that mane of his. He's crawling with mites, but he'll live." He nodded toward the kids. "I eavesdropped a little on your conversation. That was nice of you. Lewin and Kela usually have a hard time opening up to people. People see a Cardassian hybrid and a Bajoran sibling set and tend to get very judgmental. They had a hard time of it before they came here."

"I would imagine so," Garak said quietly.

"Their mother was a prostitute," he said in a low voice. "She was a field commander's woman during the Occupation and when he left or was killed, she was turned out as a collaborator. She never knew who Kela's father was. At best, he was a client, at worse, one of the 'patriots' who thought raping a Cardassian's concubine would teach her a lesson." His face darkened. "I'm no fan of the Cardassians, but it angers me when our own people destroy themselves with anger and violence - the only thing they really accomplish is leaving these kids without a family or a home."

"I've known a lot of men," Garak said seriously. "Cardassian, Bajoran, Klingon, human - and in all this time, I've learned race has very little to do with whether we are good or evil. We, as individuals, make the choice to help or to hurt. As for the Occupation..." He sighed. "I had my part in it, that's the truth, but we all had our roles to play. It's sad that the children are the ones who pay the price for our foolishness."

"Well said." Reven looked at Garak with a newfound respect. "If nothing else, that's what these children have taught us. We have fifty children here, 19 of them are half or quarter Cardassian - that's a huge number considering most of them were never supposed to survive infancy, much less the Cleansing after the Cardassians pulled out. Still, every day we're getting requests to take in more from orphanages which are afraid of losing funding because local politicians dislike paying the costs for children which are, for the most part, unlikely candidates for adoption. Those two came to us because the last orphanage didn't want them separated. Plenty of families wanted the girl, but no one would take Lewin. They've made a home here."

"It's a wonderful place," Garak said, his eyes wandering over the grounds.

"The Ministry of the Forgotten Children." Reven chuckled. "When I first heard about this place, I thought it would be depressing and dark. Now, I can't ever imagine leaving."

"I'm finding the concept a bit hard myself, actually," Garak admitted.

"You're thinking of joining the order?" Reven's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"You don't think I'd be accepted?" Garak asked, keeping his expression neutral.

"No, not at all!" Reven said with a wide grin. "In fact, if Danna doesn't want to sponsor you for penitence, I'd be more than happy to. A lot of these kids were taught to hate their Cardassian heritage - having a full - blooded Cardassian, well, it would do wonders for us."

"I'll certainly keep that in mind," Garak said, shaking Reven's proffered hand.

"Excellent! Excellent! Danna!"

Julian emerged from the Infirmary and walked toward the pen just as Danna approached his colleague. "What is it, Reven?" he asked.

"Garak wants to join our order!" The tall Bajoran's tan face fairly glowed with excitement.

"Really?" Danna nearly stumbled over his own feet in his haste to rush over. "You want to join the monastery?"

"We have to call Vedek Merel immediately!"

"Garak..."

He looked over toward the sound of Julian's voice. Julian's face was still, his eyes dark and hooded. It was obvious that he wasn't happy with what he was hearing.

Garak licked his lips, his mouth suddenly dry. He didn't like the look on his lover's face. "Gentlemen...perhaps that wouldn't be an appropriate course of action, quite yet. I still have a lot to consider first." He turned back to the monks. "I have a business on the station I'd have to sell first, as well as...other things."

"Oh. Oh!" Reven looked over at the doctor. "I understand. I - you know that our order doesn't practice celibacy, right? In fact, Danna and I-"

"Stop trying to sell him on the idea, Reven," Danna said, placing his hand on the blond man's shoulder. "Come on, we need to get this new addition to our family settled in. Let Garak and his friend talk in peace."

They walked away from the two men, Reven still chattering excitedly, "For Prophets' sake, Danna! You make me sound like some kind of Ferengi! I was just -"

"I know, Reven, I know..."

Garak looked at Julian, saying nothing: he merely waited.

"You told them about what you were considering – moving here, to the monastery."

"I did tell you first, Julian."

"Yes, but..." Julian rubbed the back of his neck, his agitation obvious. "I thought we'd discuss it some more before you made any concrete decisions."

"You mean, you wanted time to talk me out of it first."

"No! Well, yes. Yes, damn it, I did!" He took Garak's hand in his own. "I don't want to...I don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me - on the station. I want to sleep with you, and not just for sex - I want to come home and know that you'll be there, every day."

"But you said you didn't want a commitment."

"I don't! I-" Julian bit his lip, and softened his tone, "I'm not ready to move in with you, Garak. I'm not ready to say to Sisko, 'Captain, I'd like you to start the paperwork so that I can get permission to marry Garak.' I'm not yet prepared for any of that, but that doesn't mean I won't ever be ready! You're talking about making a lifelong commitment to living on Bajor, I can't just leap into that kind of...damn it."

"But you are asking me to live my life around based on the hope that someday you might want to," Garak pointed out, not unkindly. He touched Julian's face. "I love you - now. I love you and I never said I couldn't love you from Bajor. I never even said I wouldn't stop loving you if I stayed and you changed your mind all together. I just...I need something stable in my life, can't you understand that?"

"Let's just...let's just talk about the case."

"Julian...?"

"No, Garak! Not now." Julian took a deep breath. "If we talk about this now, I'll get upset and then I'll get angry. I don't want to do that, so let's just deal with this first and we'll talk about the rest of it later."

"Agreed." Garak nodded, he cleared his mind of everything else. The rest of it could wait for when they were alone. "What did you find out?"

'Let's go into the infirmary." Julian tilted his head toward the children playing off in the distance. "They're going to wander over here soon to look at the riding hound. I don't want small ears hearing any of this."

"Good point," Garak said. Already the children were pointing over toward them and chattering amongst themselves excitedly. "After you."

They entered the small infirmary which smelled of lemons and sweetgrass, a much more pleasant aroma than he had expected. His expression must have reflected that because Julian spoke up. "The doctor here explained that because some of the children associate the smell of antiseptic with pain and illness, they use natural cleansers instead. They're just as effective at killing germs, but much more pleasant to live with. If Starfleet Medical didn't have such stringent policies, I'd be tempted to incorporate it into my infirmary on the station. I’d prefer to utilize more homeopathic approaches for a lot of things on the station, truth be told. Not every injury or illness is serious enough to warrant injecting unnatural chemicals into the body." He grimaced. "Usually by the end of my shift I smell like mouthwash. I'd much rather smell like lemons and Bajoran herbs."

"It is rather pleasant," Garak agreed, frowning, "but what about the, well..."

"Decaying flesh?" Julian supplied. "I used a stasis field to keep the smell down. I've performed my fair share of autopsies, but I really prefer not to have to endure that particular part of the experience if I can help it. Besides, it tends to linger and this isn't exactly a normal hospital - I was afraid one of the orphans might wander in. They can do emergency surgeries here, but it's mostly used for common childhood ailments; cuts, scrapes, and the occasional broken arm." He walked over to a cloth screen. "She's in here."

Garak followed him into the enclosure and looked at the leathery pile of twisted skin and bone that was once an undoubtedly beautiful young woman. "I've seen a lot of death, but seeing this...I've never gotten used to this part of it."

"No one does," Julian said in a low voice. "The day you stop flinching when you look upon what used to be a real live person turned into nothing more than a mummified and rotting carcass, that's the day you've lost your humanity."

"Even though I'm not a human, I'll still thank you for the sentiment. Did you find anything useful?"

"Quite a bit," Julian said, picking up his PADD and briefly scanning his notes. "Federation tricorders are very sensitive, but even then three weeks is on the cusp of detection for fetal cells in the bloodstream. Fetal development at this stage would have been epithelial tissue, cartilage, and some of the internal organs. It was a boy, by the way." Julian looked at her sadly. "Bajoran pregnancies are shorter than human or Cardassian pregnancies, between twenty to twenty-two weeks, so at three weeks along she definitely knew she was pregnant. She had even begun to show a little, just a slight curve to her stomach. I don't think she could feel the baby kick or anything, but she had various medicinal herbs in her system, makka and the like, which is common for expectant Bajoran females. She planned on keeping it...otherwise I doubt she would have been taking them."

"Anything else?"

"No sperm, no definitive signs of rape. I can't tell if there are any defensive wounds due to the condition of her skin and the impact injuries, but I can tell you she wasn't drugged and she died from massive blood loss."

"Wasn't there head trauma as well?"

"Yes," Julian nodded, "but she might have survived had she gotten help. The craft she was in must have been flying quite low because even though she was hurt she wasn't unconscious." He indicated the bone protruding from her thigh. "When she tried to move the bone shifted and nicked the femoral artery. She must have tried to stop it herself, but between her injuries and blood loss, she passed out and was dead within minutes."

"Is there any way we can identify her?" Garak asked, averting his eyes.

"Fingerprints won't do us much good." He sighed rubbing the back of his neck in a familiar gesture that Garak knew meant Julian was feeling agitated. "Animal predation and decomposition destroyed her fingertips. DNA could help if she's in the system, but from here on out we have to go through the proper channels. The local constable knows we have her. We can't keep this quiet any longer."

Garak looked at Julian expectantly.

"Garak," he said with a frown, "I downloaded Shakaar's medical records from the station. I treated him in the infirmary once." He looked up at the Cardassian, his dark eyes cold and hard. "He's definitely the baby's father. I think he might very well be our murderer."

\---

"And you're sure about this?"

Julian looked at Sisko who was talking to him on the viewscreen. "Yes, sir; there's no doubt, Shakaar is the father. All the evidence is starting to point to his guilt."

Sisko looked down at his desk. He took a deep breath, picked up the baseball he always kept there, and leaned back in his chair, squeezing the ball and tossing it back and forth between his hands as he absorbed the information. "Do the local authorities know yet? Or Vedek Merel for that matter?"

"No," Julian said. "Garak told me to hold off until I spoke to you first. Captain..." Julian said reluctantly, "we can't keep this under wraps for much longer, and I, in all good conscience, can't be a part of a cover-up."

"No, no of course not," Sisko said, his face grim. "I have no choice but to inform Major Kira and Odo about this. She can authorize the transfer of the body onto the station for further testing. "We need to identify the body. If we leave it on Bajor, God knows who could tamper with the evidence. I'll have Odo meet you at the monastery first thing in the morning; that way we'll maintain the chain of custody and let Odo take the shuttle quietly. This has to be by the book and we're already in a gray area here."

"And Merel?"

Sisko shook his head. "Say nothing to her. I know she's the one who brought you the information to begin with, but we can't risk her tipping off Shakaar. I'll contact him and ask him aboard the station on some pretense, then Odo will take him into custody. We'll question him here first and then we'll hand him over to local authorities." He sighed. "I don't intend to cover up anything, but I still believe Shakaar is incapable of this type of crime. I want to hear what he has to say before I destroy his career and reputation, not to mention Starfleet's plans of incorporating Bajor into the Federation."

"Understood, sir."

"And doctor,"Sisko said as he looked up at the screen again, then hesitated, "tell Garak that he did a good job, despite how it turned out. Tell him I said...thank you."

"I will," Julian promised.

"When you both return to the station I want you to report immediately to my office after dropping the body off in the Infirmary. You both need to be fully debriefed and Mr. Garak will have to fill out some forms." Sisko paused. "This isn't the first time he's been helpful to us in this sort of situation. Do you suppose he might consider accepting a consultant position within Starfleet? His skills in code-breaking and crime scene analysis could come in very handy."

"I'm...not sure," Julian said. "I believe he may have other plans."

"I thought you two were in a relationship?" Sisko asked with a confused expression. "I thought perhaps he'd like a more permanent status on-board. There would be several perks to accepting this sort of position, not least of which is Federation citizenship."

"He's-he's thinking about remaining on Bajor, actually. He intends to join the religious order here." Julian didn't meet Sisko's eyes when he said this, his expression closed and obviously displeased.

"Really?" Sisko's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Well...that is unexpected. I wasn't aware Garak was religious."

"Neither was I."

Sisko nodded thoughtfully, "Tell Mr. Garak congratulations on his chosen vocation and let him know if he changes his mind that I can file the necessary paperwork upon his return."

"I will, sir. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Garak had watched the exchange from across the room. When Julian turned off the comm screen and looked at him, he kept his expression pleasant but neutral. He waited for Julian to speak first.

"You heard?"

"Yes."

Brown eyes met blue. "If you want a real home, you can still have it on the station. The captain will get you your citizenship - I'll even send a letter of recommendation to Federation Headquarters on your behalf. You wouldn't have to worry about paying rent anymore, you'd have better quarters, a job, a-"

"Julian..."

"No! You said the only reason you wanted this was because you needed some stability, some permanence! You can have that," he said as he arose from the chair and approached him, "with me."

Garak looked at the lovely young man standing before him, his tan skin glowing softly. The light from the fireplace accentuated his finely-boned features and made his eyes seem even darker, larger. Standing there, his arms spread out and welcoming...it was almost too hard to resist. "I have to think about it first."

"What's to think about?" Julian asked irritably. "What does Bajor have that you can't get on the station?"

"Sun, trees, fresh air..." he sighed, "the sound of children laughing. People who need me."

"I need you."

"You want me," Garak corrected softly, "but you've made it very clear that you don't actually need me."

"You don't know that."

"I do."

"No you don't!" Julian shouted, pointing his finger toward him in emphasis. "And don't you dare to presume that you do. You don't know anything about how I feel! You just assumed that because I hesitated to jump into a full-blown commitment that I'm just using you until another warm body makes itself available!"

"Julian-"

"Shut up!" Julian scrubbed his face with his hands and then glared at Garak. "You're always reminding me of how shallow I am, that I'm arrogant and undependable, but you - YOU turn around and issue this high-handed-

"I-"

"-HIGH-HANDED ultimatum and expect me to roll over and accept it!" Julian walked toward Garak and put his hands on his shoulders, squeezing painfully. "I will not accept that! I will not allow you-"

"You won't-" Garak was beginning to get angry.

"Don't interrupt me!" Julian snapped. "I will not allow you to destroy your life or mine because you've decided in a fit of melancholy and hysterics to become a fucking monk! You and I both know that this is just another manipulation on your part and I will not stand for it!"

Garak jumped up and pushed Julian away. "Get your hands off me!"

"I won't play your game, Garak," Julian warned, his eyes flashing with anger.

"I'm not playing a game!"

"Yes, you are."

"How dare you?" Garak blazed, "How dare you speak to me like this! How dare you order me to do anything! I am not your property or your subordinate!"

Flabbergasted, Julian's jaw dropped, "I never said you were!"

"You say it every time you pat me on the head and treat me like a toy you can play with, then put down at a moment's notice!"

"I have never-"

"Oh no, doctor! Don't you dare interrupt me! I put up with your nonsensical ramblings and now it's your turn to listen for once!" Garak's clenched his fists. "You - you just waltz into my life one day, deciding to sweep me off my feet! You made it clear you wanted me. You proceeded to make me fall in love with you. And then in an act of complete arrogance you tell me in NO uncertain terms that you are NOT prepared to return my love in the same way!" His voice was growing increasingly strident. "But do you set me free? Oh, no. You want me to remain available, receptive to all your physical and emotional needs while you ignore mine! I can understand now you've gone through so many lovers on the station. No one can possibly hope to endure the kind of mental and emotional torture you inflict on anyone who tries to get close to you!"

"That's not true!"

"Yes it is!"

"I told you I loved you!"

"Your 'love' came with quite a few strings attached if I recall correctly."

"Fine!" Julian held up his hands in defeat, "You win! I give up! I quit! Let's just get this all over with once and for all!"

Garak turned his back on Julian and willed his expression to remain calm. This was it, the moment he'd been dreading for weeks...Julian was finally breaking up with him.

"Garak..."

He held his breath, feeling his heart break in his chest. He needed air - suddenly it hurt to breathe.

"Marry me."

Garak blinked, then whipped around, "What?!?"

"You heard me," Julian said, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. "I said, let's get married."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious!" he said, his face tight with anger. "Why the hell would I say it if I wasn't serious? You want a commitment? Fine. No more discussion, we're getting married and that's the end of it."

"You're serious."

"Goddamn it, Garak! I'm serious! Now shut up and just deal with it!"

"But-" Garak's mind drew a blank. "I don't understand."

"I know people get married on Cardassia and I also know you're familiar with the term. You aren't stupid." Julian gave him a scathing look. "I love you, you love me, I don't want to lose you and I won't allow you to run off and leave me behind. This would have eventually happened anyway. Hell, had I not been a complete idiot, I would have had you in my bed the first week we met. When you think about it, this is long overdue."

Garak blinked several times. "You said you didn't want that type of commitment."

"I lied."

"You...lied?"

"Yes, I lied to the all-knowing, all seeing Elim Garak." Julian gave him a hard look. "Now close your mouth before you catch flies and let's just get on with it, shall we? We have a lot to do and this needs to be settled as quickly as possible. I'm not in the mood to be making flowery speeches or get into a long conversation about this. Just deal with it and let's get some sleep."

Garak absorbed that and sat down on the couch, his mind awhirl with emotion. "I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing to say," Julian said with a satisfied nod. "We're getting married, end of discussion."

"I was just...thinking about moving in together or something," Garak said numbly. "I never expected this."

"Tough. You wanted a commitment, now you've got one. You're just going to have to live with the consequences."

"You're really serious?" Garak asked, unsure of himself and what was happening.

"Yes."

"This is...very unexpected. Sudden, even..."

"Not really," Julian said, still looking down at him from where he was standing. "I started thinking about it a while ago, I just figured I wouldn't be doing it so soon. I thought if I asked you any sooner, people would say we rushed into things. I wanted to make sure we were an established couple before this happened, but circumstances have changed. We just have to move up the timetable a bit, that's all."

"When did you..." Garak swallowed nervously, looking up at his companion, "come to this decision?"

"Several days ago, after you started talking nonsense about becoming a monk." Julian snorted. "I knew you'd do it, too, if only just to prove to me that you could. You're just that damned hard-headed! I decided that I wasn't going to allow that to happen. I won't lose you and the only way I can think of to make sure you can't get away is to marry you - legally - that way if you want to go skipping off to Bajor, you'll have to give me a little more consideration than a brush-off and a kiss goodbye."

Garak looked up again, frowning. "This isn't exactly...romantic. Shouldn't you be more...well, less...I'm not sure how to put this? Just telling someone they're getting married is a little...off-putting. Isn't there some sort of custom or something in your culture? I mean, this feels a bit clinical, just announcing that I have to marry you and bringing up legal terms and things. Even on Cardassia with arranged marriages there’s a bit of ceremony to it. It's just not what I expected at all."

"Why do I need to ask you?" Julian asked. "It doesn't matter. We're getting married and that's all there is to it."

Under normal circumstances, if any other man ever was to talk to me in this way, Garak thought muzzily, I'd be tempted to throttle him...but this was Julian. His Julian, and for better or for worse, he loved him. He tried to remain calm, and took a steadying breath, "I don't know...it just seems like it would be nice to be asked."

"We're getting married; I don't have to ask," Julian repeated.

"But, still," Garak said insistently, "I want you to."

Julian threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine!" He looked at Garak, his eyes dark and dangerous, "You had better not say no."

"All right," Garak agreed.

"Well, then..." He gave Garak a steady look and then slowly dropped to the floor on one knee. Garak looked at him in surprise as Julian took his hand, "Garak..." He stopped, and smiled softly. "Mr. Elim Garak, will you do me the great honor of becoming my husband?"

Garak looked at him for a long moment. "Are you serious?"

"YES! YES, DAMN IT I'M SERIOUS!" Julian roared, jumping to his feet, "Now answer the damn question!"

"All right, I'll marry you," Garak said quickly, his eyes wide with shock.

"Good!" Julian grabbed Garak's hand and pulled him off the couch, dragging him toward the bedroom.

"What are we doing?" Garak asked numbly, stumbling behind him.

"We're going to consummate this right now and then tomorrow we're going to tell Sisko to start the paperwork! I'm not letting you get away with a long engagement, not after what you've put me through!"

"Aren't we supposed to kiss first or something?" Garak asked, right before Julian shoved him against the wall and gave him a hard, deep kiss that took his breath away.

"Happy now?" Julian asked, releasing his lips and tugging at the buttons on Garak's tunic.

"Getting there," Garak said with a nod as he allowed Julian to pull his garments over his head and then reached out to undo his companion's trousers.

"I want you to know right now, and," Julian paused for a deep kiss, "I'm not going to be easy to live with." He undid Garak's pants and let them drop to the floor. "I work odd hours, I won't come home some days when I'm on away missions." Another kiss and he bent to slide down Garak's underwear. "I could be transferred anywhere at any time so I don't want you to say a word if we wind up on Earth! No complaining about how crowded San Francisco is or how bland the food tastes!"

"I promise, I won't!" Garak said, toeing off his shoes.

"And I'm not changing my name to Dr. Garak or Bashir-Garak or Garak-Bashir; I have enough trouble with people pronouncing my name correctly and I have to sign a thousand damned reports a day! I'm not going to deal with having to hyphenate and all that crap on top of everything else!" He grabbed Garak's shoulders and pulled him close into an intoxicating kiss. "You can do what you want. Elim Bashir, Elim Garak-Bashir, or plain simple Garak, I don't care as long as you know who you're married to!"

"I won't forget - are you going to take off your shoes?"

Julian finished undressing and pushed Garak onto the bed. The last time they were there, they had moved the other bed into the room and pushed the two mattresses together so they could both sleep in comfort. Garak landed with a grunt and Julian laid on top of him, nibbling on his neck ridges as he ground their erections together. "You'll have to meet my parents, which won't be fun," he gasped. "My mother will like you but my father is an utter ass. I apologize ahead of time."

"Like father like son; I'll learn to love - oh - him as well." Garak groaned as Julian began to lick and suck his way down his chest.

"I want you to know," Julian said, pausing every once in a while to lick Garak's cock, "I want children, but probably not right away. Maybe not even until after we've settled somewhere permanently. All right?" He swallowed him whole and Garak jerked his hips up into the doctor's warm mouth, his breath coming in harsh gasps. Julian pulled away. "I'm not necessarily stuck on the idea of a biological child, so I was thinking of adoption. Is that a problem for you?"

"No, no, just keep doing that, please," Garak moaned.

"As for religion, I'm not a practicing anything, but if you're serious about the Bajoran faith, I'll go with you to the Temple. I'll even agree to be married in one. Mum would like that," Julian said, before sucking on Garak's balls.

"Oh yes!" Garak gasped, "Whatever! Sounds good, just...more!"

Julian snatched the lubricant off the night stand and poured some in his hand, slicking up his cock. "Now that I'm thinking about it, this could be a really good thing. We'll get married housing and with both of us working we can save up for a really nice house for when I retire." Julian stuck two fingers inside of Garak and began to scissor them back and forth. "We don't have to live on Earth, but I think you'd like the climate. Anywhere is fine with me though. Even Bajor, that way if you ever were permitted back to Cardassia, ahh," he moaned as he slid inside and began to fuck Garak with long, smooth strokes, "we could, ohhh, make the commute - God, you feel so tight!"

"So goood," Garak moaned as Julian stroked his prostate in just the right way. "Harder!"

"I just realized-" Julian stopped mid-stroke. "I'm monopolizing the conversation here. Do you have anything you want to ask me?"

Garak opened his eyes and looked at Julian, his eyes glazed over with passion. "Wha-what?"

"Questions? Concerns? Comments?" Julian thrust his hips forward sharply and Garak moaned. "Anything?"

"No no, just-just fuck me!"

"No, no," Julian said with a maddening grin, "you accused me earlier of taking you for granted. You need to tell me what you think about this."

"I will kill you if you don't move!" Garak growled.

"I'm not moving unless you ask me a question."

Garak wiggled his hips and thrust upward, but Julian pulled out a bit causing him to moan in disappointment. "Fine! When...when were you thinking of retiring?"

"In ten years, maybe less." Julian fucked Garak with sharp, deep strokes that made both of them grunt in pleasure. "*gasp* I don't-shit, stop doing that with your hips or I'll come - really want to make, ahh, a career out of the military. I really want to go into, oh yesss, oh you feel so good - private practice eventually!"

Garak licked and sucked at his throat. "Uh, um, ohhh...you feel so-uh, I can't - can't introduce you to my family. There! Yes! Harder!"

"Why not?" Julian gasped.

"We're estranged! AHHH! Please, fuck me harder! You won't hurt me, I just need you inside of me!"

Julian reached between their bodies and grabbed Garak's rock-hard shaft as he pumped in and out. "Too-uh, uh-bad! Ahh! I'm-I'm going to come!"

"Yesohyesohplease! Squeeze me harder! AHHH!"

Julian roared with his release and they both lay gasping, their hearts beating in rapid staccato against their chests. Julian rolled off of Garak and tried desperately to catch his breath, "You said, oh god, earlier that you'd, ah, tell me something about your past."

"You want me to tell you that now?" Garak mumbled, not moving a muscle.

"Well, I'm thinking a nap first wouldn't hurt," Julian yawned. "But I'd like to hear about it before we leave in the morning."

Julian tossed him a towel from beside the bed after wiping himself off and handed it to Garak who wiped off his stomach and thighs. They pulled back the covers and slid into the cool, clean sheets, each sighing with contentment. Garak laid his head on his lover's chest and listened to the steady thump which was lulling him to sleep. "I'll tell you whatever you want."

"I'll hold you to that," he yawned.

"Goodnight, Julian."

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

\---

"Garak."

He was floating on warm waves of sleep; he felt as though he were completely numb and comfortable.

"Garak."

Soft covers, warm toes, the heat of another body next to him...perfect.

"Garak, wake up!"

Garak opened one eye and mumbled something which was supposed to mean 'five more minutes, please'.

"Wake up. We have to talk."

"Noooooo," Garak groaned. He looked around the room still bathed in total darkness. "What time is it?"

"It's around 0430."

Garak grabbed his pillow and stuck it over his head. In a muffled voice he said, "Go back to sleep, Julian. Odo won't be here until eight in the morning."

Julian snatched the pillow off of Garak's face and switched on the light. "Nope, you're not getting out of this. You promised we'd talk."

"We don't need three and a half hours' worth of conversation!" He blinked against the harsh light. "Let's just go back to sleep and we'll talk during breakfast or something."

"No, I want to talk about this now while we're alone and in private," Julian demanded. "If we wait, we'll have to put it off and you'll forget about it or something."

"I have an excellent memory, I promise." Garak held his hand out. "Can I have my pillow back."

"You promised."

"Fine!" Garak grumbled, sitting up in bed. He snatched the pillow away from his lover and put it behind his back. "I want you to know that after we're married, I expect to be treated better than this."

Julian offered him a goofy grin. "That sounds so...weird, doesn't it? Us, married?"

"Are you thinking of changing your mind?"

"Nope, actually I'm settling into the idea." Julian grinned, propping his arms behind his head. "Now I can go into Quark's and complain with Miles about how much you nag me and say things like, 'My husband and I ran across one of those last week while antiquing,' during staff meetings." He chuckled. "It's strange because the idea of a commitment always scared the devil out of me before but now..." and he leaned over and gave Garak a quick kiss, "I'm really getting excited about the whole thing."

"Really?" Garak asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes, really!" Julian rolled his eyes in mock exasperation, then chuckled, "Remember when we were talking earlier and I was being an arrogant ass..?"

"There have been so many of those conversations in recent memory. You'll have to be more specific." Garak yawned.

Julian glared, but continued on, "And you told me that you wouldn't wear a dress or bear my child no matter what medical science came up with?"

"Vaguely."

"I had the most disturbing dream that you were pregnant as a penguin and wearing taffeta and tulle," Julian mused.

"It had to be a dream because I assure you, it would never happen in real life," Garak muttered. "Besides, even if it did, I would never wear taffeta. It would make me look too broad in the hips."

"Oh well, in that case, for the real thing we'll have to settle for some nice suits and a simple ceremony. Maybe Quark will host the reception?"

"You want our reception to take place in a bar?" Garak snorted. "Next you'll say you want it in the replimat or something."

"Well...we did first meet there..."

"I think it's a little too early in the morning to plan a wedding, besides," Garak said pointedly, "we won't have anything to say about it anyway. Your mother will undoubtedly take the whole thing over. We just have to sit back and wait for her to hand us our clothes and tell us where to stand."

"How do you know?" Julian asked.

"I may not ever have been married before, but that doesn't mean I'm completely ignorant on the subject. I'm a tailor, I deal with this sort of thing all the time."

"Since weddings are off the discussion list, tell me about how you first came to Bajor." Julian yawned, stretching his arms over his head.

"All right. Well, it was-"

"Wait! Julian interrupted. "On second thought, answer a question for me."

"Ask away."

Julian rolled over onto his side and propped his head on his hand, looking at Garak in the eye. "Ever since I've known you, you always speak in riddles, half-truths, and obfuscations - you still do to everyone else on the station, and yet, in the last few weeks, you've been abnormally direct with me - open even. My question is; why now?"

"Why have I been honest with you?" Garak asked with a raised eyeridge.

"Not that I don't appreciate it, but why? Why suddenly do you cut to the chase and just tell me everything...well, almost everything?"

Garak thought about that for a minute. "Do you know how I told you once that I'd been in love before?"

"Yes," Julian said drily, "I think my ego is still bruised from that particular tongue-lashing, actually."

"Well, it's true that I've loved before - I'd even go so far as to say that had my life gone differently, I might have gotten married and had a family by now. I might even have been happy." He paused. "But until I met you, I never trusted anyone before. You're the first."

"Oh," Julian said softly. "That's...I don't think anyone has ever said anything that...special to me before."

"Once upon a time I called you a treasure," Garak said. "I wasn't exaggerating."

"I'm your pot of gold, your unicorn made flesh?" Julian joked.

"You're more than that," Garak said, touching his lips softly with his fingertips. "You're the first person who actually gave me a reason to live, not just survive."

Julian leaned over and kissed him softly. "If you keep saying things like that, I'm going to accuse you of going soft and suggest you start writing romantic fiction or something."

"Ugh, anything but that!" Garak said in mock horror.

"You could make a lot of money on Earth doing that." Julian wiggled his eyebrows mockingly.

"Really?" Garak brightened. "In that case I'll keep it in mind."

"Just remember, first rule of writing: write what you know." Julian scooted closer and kissed him again, taking him in a tight embrace. "I hereby volunteer to help you research all your love scenes."

"Offer accepted," Garak said breathlessly. "Are you sure you want to hear about my experiences on Bajor? I have another suggestion if you're up for it?"

"Oh, I'm up for it," Julian chuckled, "but I want to hear about you more. Talk!"

Garak groaned, falling back on his pillow. "Fine! Bajor...well, it was seven, almost eight years ago – a friend of mine was an acquisitions officer in the mobile infantry. He noticed a discrepancy in the books and became intrigued. He did some research and discovered that a large amount of weaponry and supplies which were supposed to going to the ground troops were being diverted, but he didn't know by who or how."

"And he called you? Why?"

Garak sighed. "He was a fairly low level officer. If he accused someone higher up of embezzlement, they'd merely blame him for it and he'd be sent to prison for the crime instead."

"That's not very fair," Julian frowned.

"Very little about martial law justice is fair, my dear," Garak said. "He knew me from University, and he knew I was in the Order. He contacted me and asked that I begin an investigation - leaving him out of it. I was off-world at the time and had just finished an assignment; the last thing I wanted to do was come to a backwater like Bajor over some accounting mistake. Still, I looked over the information he sent and became intrigued. I dug into the files and discovered that what my friend had found was just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak."

"What happened?"

"I came to Bajor and I looked around. I ran into an old friend of my - my superior officer's, and I began to suspect that something wasn't right. After a few weeks, I had evidence that he had sold Cardassian Military supplies and weaponry to the highest bidder and set up an off-world account for his retirement." Garak's face darkened. "Men and women died because he sold our weapons to enemy troops through a Ferengi middleman. They went hungry, they got sick-and all so a fat Legate could have a nice retirement somewhere warm."

"What happened," Julian asked, utterly intrigued.

"I was high enough in rank that I couldn't be touched, but Enabrin Tain intervened and warned me that if I turned in the officer, there would be a price to be paid for my 'conveniently timed scruples', as he called them."

"You didn't listen."

"No, I didn't," Garak admitted. "I had been sick of watching men die - good men, because they were loyal to the same officers who were more interested in fine wine and women than actually saving the lives of the soldiers who died for their war. I turned him in and he was tried and convicted. Executed."

"Was it...?" Julian hesitated.

"No. If you're thinking it was Gul Dukat's father, that came later. Legate Zem was the name of the man I apprehended, but in the process of seeing him prosecuted he was transferred back to Cardassia Prime. Procal Dukat, Gul Dukat's father, was one of the High Justices overseeing the case. In a last ditch effort to save his own life, Zem attempted to bribe Dukat by using an off-world account he didn't know we had purposely left open and flagged."

Julian appeared riveted. "You knew that Justice Dukat was taking bribes?"

"Not at the time, no," Garak admitted. "We left the account open hoping he would lead us to other officers who were stealing from the State. When we traced the money transfer to Justice Dukat, no one was more shocked than I."

"And that's why Dukat's father was executed."

"Yes," Garak answered. "But before that, I was advised to destroy the evidence and leave Justice Dukat out of it. Gul Dukat was already Prefect of Bajor and the family had a great deal of power. Justice Dukat had a lot of friends in high places."

"Including Tain."

"Including Tain," Garak admitted. "Still, it wasn't friendship Tain was sorry to lose, it was political leverage. He had plans for both the elder and the younger Dukat, and I ruined them."

"So that's why you were exiled?" Julian asked.

"No," Garak said, slightly uncomfortable, "but it led to it."

"Why were you-?

Garak laid a finger across Julian's lips. "If I tell you now, there won't be anything left for later."

Julian smiled slowly. "What comes later?"

"I thought that as a special gift," Garak shifted his position so he was talking against Julian's mouth, "on our wedding night I could tell you another secret, and then every year after that, on our anniversary, I could tell you another."

Julian kissed him softly. "So instead of springing for an actual gift, you're going to cheap out and offer me a story instead?"

"There is a certain fiscal advantage to it, yes," Garak admitted, "but mostly it's so you'll stay married to me until you hear everything I have to say. Your curiosity will force you to remain with me no matter how much I aggravate you."

"That's evil."

"I thought it was rather clever, actually."

"Speaking of evil," Julian said with a sigh, "I can't believe that I ever believed Shakaar was innocent. How could he murder the mother of his child like that?"

"We don't know that he did," Garak pointed out.

"All the evidence says he did!" Julian said, his face tight with frustration. "I'm tempted to throttle the man myself for what he did to that poor girl."

"I don't think so," Garak said slowly. "If I were you I'd reserve my judgment on that until we meet with him tomorrow. There are still some things that just don't add up."

"Like what exactly?"

"Like the fact that Shakaar was the leader of a Bajoran terrorist cell - if anyone knew how to kill someone and bury the evidence, it would be him."

"Maybe he made a mistake?" Julian suggested.

"I doubt it." Garak shook his head. "He didn't survive the Occupation by making mistakes, and he certainly wouldn't have done something this clumsy. Also, why was the girl going by the name of Kel Sinles? What would be the point of it? If someone really did want to tip off the authorities, why not just sent the packet to the Militia? Why involve the Vedek? And how did they know that Sinles never knew about her aunt? It doesn't add up."

"So you really think Shakaar is innocent?"

"I never gamble on the ethics of men, especially not on the ethics of politicians, but if Quark had a betting pool on Shakaar's guilt or innocence, I'd have to say I'd put odds on the theory that he’s being framed." He paused, “Although I do still have many unanswered questions as to who this girl was, and how she became pregnant with his child, yet he never reported her missing; unless she was a prostitute and this was, in fact, a plot to either discredit or extort him.”

Julian thumped his head against the simple wooden headboard in frustration. "So now what do we do?" he asked.

"Now, we go back to bed and wait until Odo comes in the morning," Garak said simply. "Tomorrow will be here soon enough."

"So...we should just go to sleep then?"

"You had other ideas?"

"A few."

"Well," Garak grinned as Julian shut off the lights and reached for him, "let it never be said I didn't enjoy our discussions..."


	9. Confrontations, Accusations, and Answers

\---  
Chapter Nine: Confrontations, Accusations, and Answers  
\---

"We have a lot to talk about before we meet with the Captain back on the station."

"About what?" Garak said absently as he made notes on his PADD.

"About us."

Garak looked over at his companion, a small smile playing over his lips. "I rather enjoyed our earlier discussion; perhaps we can have another like that one after our meeting, instead? Only this time, I'd prefer to be completely awake."

Julian chucked and squeezed Garak's knee affectionately. "Later, love; but seriously, there is something I need to talk to you about and I want to do it while no one else is around."

"Like what?"

Julian took a deep breath. "Well, usually when two people become engaged, Starfleet allows the captain to go ahead and assign them married quarters before the actual wedding."

"Really?" Garak pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Well, it will be difficult, but I can get Ajaz to continue running the shop for me until we're settled. I have quite a few really nice pieces of furniture we can use...I don't want to risk some of the better antiques, so I wonder if Chief O'Brien can just beam them into -?"

"No, Garak-" Julian interrupted, "You don't understand. I don't want us to share quarters before the wedding."

"You don't?" He tried to keep the hurt tone out of his voice.

Julian switched on the auto-pilot and turned in his seat to look Garak in the eye, "Sweetheart, it's not what you think. It's just...my mother is a very old-fashioned woman."

"I see." Actually he didn't, but he listened anyway.

"This is the reason I was glad Odo took the remains in a separate runabout," Julian muttered. "I just knew I'd screw this up. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings," he sighed, "and I know you think I'm avoiding commitment again, but that's not it."

"It isn't?"

"No!" he said, smiling. "Now, more than ever, I want to be with you, but if you want us to be together as a family, then we'll need my mother's support to win over my dad. In order for that to happen, we need to at least make the attempt to try and follow her ways, to show her respect as her sons, can you understand that?"

"I understand," Garak said slowly. "Obviously she's going to realize that we've been intimate; what difference will our not living together make if she knows we've already had sex? Won't she be upset?"

Julian shrugged. "I can't explain it. All I know is that even though she realizes we have obviously engaged in intercourse, in her belief system only married people should live together. Marriage is a sacred institution and when we marry and join our households together, you'll be her son just as much as I am. It's just the way she was raised. Until the wedding, we need to keep separate quarters so that when they come to visit, she can see that we're very serious about this and that we're not just 'playing house'. Can you do that for me?"

Garak looked at him for a long moment and nodded. "Of course I can, Cardassians have a similar belief structure, and showing respect for one's parents is sacred. I promise you, I will treat your mother as though she were my own...even if that means not being able to share your bed every night, all night, until the wedding." Garak touched Julian's cheek tenderly, "You could have told me this before we left. I would have understood. "

"I would have, but this morning was insane," Julian said as he turned in his seat and began piloting them back to the station again. "Between the kids all crowding around us and Reven hinting that we should think about adopting right away, I didn't even have time to breathe much less get two words in." He ran his fingers through his hair tiredly. "Then Odo showed up and we had to deal with his being brassed off over the fact that we kept him out of the loop on this one - well, I'll just be glad when we get back. I'm actually very worried about the Major. She's due to give birth to the O'Brien's baby in just under a month and now she has to deal with this? She and Shakaar aren't just friends, they're still lovers, I believe. Odo seemed very grim this morning - I think this whole situation is really hurting her."

"Odo is always grim," Garak snorted, "and as for the Major, she knows full well that Shakaar is merely mortal. They've maintained a long-distance relationship for some time now, long enough for her to know what he's capable of. She'll undoubtedly be angry, but she'll realize quickly that infidelity and murder are two very different things."

"Odo looked at all of the evidence and seemed to think he was guilty," Julian pointed out.

"Odo is in love with Major Kira and, even if he won't admit it, he wants Shakaar to be guilty. Instead of opening up to her and telling her how he feels, he just sits around hoping she'll notice him." Garak picked the PADD up and began to type again. "Life doesn't work that way."

"It worked for us," the doctor pointed out.

"No, it didn't," Garak stated. "For five years we hedged and ignored our feelings and we would have continued on indefinitely that way if one of us-"

"Me."

"-if ONE of us hadn't finally made a move, we would have never admitted our feelings for one another," Garak finished with a glare.

"You mean if I hadn't thrown you against a bulkhead and ravished you, we'd both be sleeping in a cold bed tonight," Julian said with a self-satisfied grin.

"You still might," Garak grumbled.

"You just like being the one who is always right," Julian snorted.

"And you're too arrogant as it is," Garak grumped, "but I love you anyway."

"You always were a sweet talker, Garak. It's amazing how I resisted you for so long."

\---

"Constable, what do you think?" Sisko asked as he lifted his eyes from the doctor's report.

Odo glanced at Kira who was sitting across the conference table, her posture stiff and her expression unreadable. "I regret to say that the evidence does make it appear that First Minister Shakaar may be guilty, captain." He nodded toward Garak and Julian, "And on a personal note, I would like to say that I was quite impressed with Dr. Bashir's meticulous attention to detail during this investigation, and, as much as it pains me to say so," he said reluctantly, "Garak's skills as an investigator were of invaluable use in uncovering as much as they did."

"Why thank you, Odo," Garak said brightly. "Perhaps the good Captain could assign me to Security! I'm sure we'd work well together."

"I think not," Odo muttered.

Bashir snorted, causing the captain to give the three of them a sharp look. "Do you agree that Shakaar should be arrested?"

"On the evidence we have here, I don't see how we couldn't take him into custody, Captain," Odo said gravely. "If we don't act upon this, we could be accused of showing Shakaar preferential treatment."

Garak held up his hand. "Captain Sisko, I have to admit the evidence does appear to be damning, but..." He pursed his lips. "I just don't think Shakaar did this."

Kira and Sisko both looked at Garak in surprise. "But the fetus..?"

"Just because he fathered this woman's child doesn't mean he killed her," Garak pointed out. "Captain, I don't know First Minister Shakaar at all, but I'm sure if he did commit a crime of this nature, he would have been much more careful in his disposal of the remains. Not only that, but I have several questions concerning some of the other aspects of this case. For instance," he paused, tapping his lips with his finger thoughtfully, "who sent us the PADD with the evidence, and why involve Vedek Merel in all of this when he or she could have just given it to the police? Also, why provide us with the identity of a librarian who is very much alive and knows nothing about any of this? It doesn't make any sense."

Sisko nodded and thought about Garak's words carefully. "Major, you've been very quiet through all of this, what do you think?"

"I think Garak is right," Kira said, shifting in her chair. "I know Shakaar, he wouldn't do this, but if he did he wouldn't have gotten caught. I don't know if he slept with this woman or not, but at best I think we have in front of us the evidence of an affair, not a murder."

"We have a dead woman who would prove otherwise," Odo said, causing Kira to glare at him coldly.

"You don't know him like I do, Odo! You think that everyone is capable of-"

"Enough!" The captain called the room to order. "Fighting among ourselves will resolve nothing. We need to speak to Shakaar and hear what he has to say."

"I suggest moving him to one of the interrogation cells as soon as he arrives on the station," Odo said, ignoring the flash of anger in the Major's eyes.

"I disagree." Garak shook his head. "I have some experience in interrogation techniques-" Odo chuckled darkly, but Garak ignored him. "If you truly want to get him to answer your questions you need to catch him off guard. If we arrest him, he'll clam up and we'll never find the truth. He's been conditioned to resist the kind of intimidation Odo is suggesting."

"And we all know who the interrogation expert is in the room, don't we Garak?" Odo said pointedly.

"Glad to know my expertise is valued, Constable." He flashed a toothy grin at the shapeshifter.

"Well, I have had the opportunity to experience those techniques personally," Odo said with dry humor.

"I think Garak has a point," Julian cleared his throat, eyeing the exchange between his lover and the Constable nervously. "We should bring him here, with all of us present and ask him directly. We should present the evidence to him as it stands and gauge his reactions."

"And you, doctor? When we spoke earlier, you seemed convinced of Shakaar's guilt."

"That was before I listened to what Garak had to say, captain," he said. "Honestly, I don't know if he did it or not, but Garak hasn't been wrong yet. I think we should let this play out before we arrest anyone."

"I agree." Sisko hit his comm badge. "Sisko to Ops. Inform me when First Minister Shakaar arrives and I'll send someone to escort him to the conference room. Tell him I need to go over something privately with him."

//Acknowledged. His vessel is docking now. I'll relay the message.//

"Odo, go and meet the First Minister and bring him here. Make sure he doesn't suspect anything is amiss."

"Aye, sir." Odo got up from his chair and headed out of the room.

"I'd like to go with Odo," Kira spoke up.

"I don't believe that would be wise, Captain," Garak said.

"Frankly, Garak, I don't give a damn about what you think!" Kira said angrily as she turned her frustration from Odo to the tailor. "I don't understand why you're in the middle of all this anyway, and if I find out that you had anything to do with this, I will personally see to it that -"

"Major," Sisko said, interrupting her angry tirade. "Garak is right." She opened her mouth to say something and he hushed her with a look, "You and Shakaar are in a relationship; he might not feel comfortable speaking about this in front of you."

"Kira...Nerys, perhaps you should wait in your office," Julian said gently. "You're too close to your due date to risk the baby's health by getting upset."

Kira glared at him, but laid her hand on her stomach protectively, "Fine, but only out of concern for Miles and Keiko's son. I want to be kept in the loop on this."

"I promise that I will keep you apprised of the situation," Sisko nodded.

Kira gave Garak one last dirty look before leaving the room, her stiff posture communicating just how angry she was about the whole situation.

As soon as she left, Julian turned to the captain. "I know this is an odd time to mention this, but Garak and I have something to tell you."

"Is this about the job I offered you earlier?" Sisko turned to the Cardassian, his expression hopeful. "Given our recent conflict with the Jem'Hadar, we could use someone with your skills, Mr. Garak. The situation with the Founders is beginning to escalate and Starfleet Intelligence is concerned that they may be planning some sort of an attack soon. I'm sure the doctor told you what I was offering in exchange for your full cooperation in dealing with this situation. Would you be interested?"

"Yes, actually," Garak said slowly. "I would very much appreciate the position you're offering me and your terms are quite generous, but that's not what Julian was referring to, I believe."

"What is it you need to tell me, doctor?" Sisko looked at him questioningly.

"Garak and I are involved with one another, as you know, but our relationship has become a bit more serious recently," he said, taking a deep breath. "I asked him to marry me and he accepted. We were wondering if you could start the paperwork for us so we can get married as soon as we get clearance from Starfleet." He straightened his shoulders. "I realize that Garak is a non-Federation citizen now, and he has ties to a hostile foreign government, but you know his situation better than anyone. I thought that since he has to be cleared for his new position anyway, we could go ahead and make our application now - we'd like your support on this, sir."

Sisko blinked and sat back in his chair. "This...is a surprise."

"I know this seems sudden, captain, but I assure you I've thought about all the implications," Julian said quickly. "Garak has contributed to the safety and the security of Deep Space Nine of several occasions, as you, yourself, have pointed out. This - it's just time. We want this."

Sisko nodded. "Like you said, they will have to meet with Garak anyway when they approve his security clearance. I don't believe there will be any problem with your application. Actually, this might help speed things along."

"Really?" Julian brightened.

"Mr. Garak is going to be on our team now, officially – the fact that he's also going to be a member of our family should tell Starfleet Intelligence everything they need to know," Sisko said with a smile. "That isn't to say that it will be an easy process. There will be some hard questions for you both in the beginning, but I'm sure we can get you settled within the next month or two, if that's not too soon."

"No, no, that's fine," Julian said, with a grin. He reached for Garak's hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I'll go ahead and start the paperwork to assign you married quarters. I'll have to ask the Major, but we should have something available by the end of the week." He reached for a PADD, but Garak stopped him.

"Captain, we appreciate the offer, but there's no rush," he said, looking at Julian. "We'd prefer to remain in our own quarters until after the wedding, if that's all right."

"That's fine," Sisko said, putting down the PADD. "May I ask why, if that's all right?"

"It's important to Julian's mother that we maintain a certain appearance, Captain, therefore it's important to me that we show respect for her beliefs," Garak replied.

A faint smile crept over Sisko's face. "Mr. Garak, you continually amaze me. I must admit, when I first learned of your relationship with Dr. Bashir, I was skeptical, but now I have a feeling everything will work out fine." He arose from his desk and shook both of their hands, each in turn. "Congratulations to you both."

Julian looked at Garak and said, "There's something else, captain."

Both Garak and Sisko looked at him in surprise. "Yes?"

"Can you make sure we get a three bedroom suite?" He took a deep breath. "We're planning on adopting two children at the orphanage where we were staying. I started the process this morning."

"What?" Garak's face registered his shock. "But you said -"

"I know what I said," Julian reached for his hand again. "I said a lot of things that I thought I meant, but I realize now I was wrong." He looked down at the floor. "I spoke to Reven and Danna before we left. They told me about the siblings you'd taken an interest in and suggested we take them into our home as foster children. I wasn't sure about doing it until I saw how you were with them this morning. Garak, I - I know I can come off as an oblivious ass at times, but I saw how those kids looked at you when you said goodbye to them at the riding hound's enclosure. I heard you telling that boy, Lewin, that we'd be back to visit and how sad you were when we had to leave." He touched Garak's face, completely ignoring Sisko who was looking on in silent amazement. "I know adoption is a big step, and I considered just going the fostering route, but there's no real permanence in that...and lately, permanence has felt pretty good and I'd like to share that feeling, you know? You're the first person who has ever made me feel like I could have a family, a life. If it's too soon, we-"

"No, no!" Garak said quickly. "Of course I want this – them - all of it! I just can't believe you'd-!"

"Gentlemen," Sisko said, his mouth twitching in amusement. "I imagine you both have a lot to discuss, but right now we need to get ready for First Minister Shakaar."

"I'm sorry, captain," Julian apologized before looking back at his fiancé. "In any case, it won't be for several months. We have to get settled in first and then the Bajoran Social Services will have to approve our application for adoption. Reven and Danna will both recommend us, I'm sure."

"I'd be happy to give you both a reference as well," Sisko said with quiet sincerity.

Garak nodded at the captain gratefully. "Thank you." He turned his attention back to Julian, "Did they say how long it would take for the paperwork to go through?"

"Danna said the process is a bit long, about six months to a year, but it will give us time to settle in and prepare for their arrival and we can visit them often so they can get used to us. They can even come up here on the weekends." Julian cleared his throat. "I know I shouldn't have sprung this on you but..."

"No, this was a good surprise," Garak said softly. "This was - is, the best present you could have ever given me."

The door to the conference room opened and Odo stepped in with First Minister Shakaar, who looked around curiously. "I'm sorry, were we interrupting something?"

"Not at all," Sisko said, gesturing Shakaar to join them. "Come right in and have a seat."

Julian and Garak sat beside each other while Shakaar took the chair at the end of the table facing the captain. Odo remained standing at the door, his eyes fixed on the First Minister.

"Mr. Garak, doctor, so good to see you both again, but, ah--" Shakaar looked over to the captain, "Emissary, I was under the impression you needed to speak to me privately."

"Mr. Garak and Dr. Bashir are both aware of why I asked you to join us."

"I'm sure they are, but I wish *I* were," Shakaar said a bit impatiently. "Emissary, I am in the middle of a political campaign; I really don't have time to meet with your station's tailor. What's more, I'm in perfect health and I have my own personal physician." He looked over at them. "Thank you for taking the time out of your schedules, gentlemen, but I have no need of your services."

"Garak's not here as a tailor, and I'm sure Dr. Bashir believes you're perfectly healthy," Sisko said as he sat down and handed him a PADD. "I'm afraid, First Minister, that they're here because of this."

For a moment, Shakaar appeared confused, then slowly he began to realize the implications of what he was seeing. He looked up from the PADD and glared at Sisko, "Since when do I have to explain my relationship with members of my staff to you or anyone else? And what do a doctor and a dressmaker have to do with anything?"

"Who is that woman, First Minister Shakaar?" Garak asked curiously.

"Why? Are you looking for another client? She already has enough gowns, thank you, but I'll be sure relay the message just in case. What is this?" he scoffed, looking up at the captain.

"Answer the question, please," Sisko requested in a hard voice.

He looked at Garak, then at Sisko again. "Is the Federation in bed with the Cardassians now? Is this some sort of bargaining tool to get me to hand over Bajor to the Federation?"

"We just want to ask you a few questions about this woman and your connection to her," Sisko said evenly.

"Well, it's none of your damned business." Shakaar arose from his chair and tossed the PADD on the table where it landed with a loud smack and nearly slid off the edge. "Until now I thought we had a good relationship, *Captain*, but I won't be blackmailed, not by you or the Cardassians!" He threw Garak a filthy look. "Go ahead and make any accusations you like, I won't be blackmailed or have my reputation or the reputation of anyone working for me smeared in the press! It isn't a crime to hire a beautiful woman. She worked for me, that's all."

"It's not a crime to hire someone, but it is a crime to murder them," Garak said, his eyes fixed on the First Minister.

"Murder?" Shakaar looked around in confusion. "What the hell is he talking about? Whose murder?"

Julian handed him another PADD, this one showing the remains of the girl. "This murder."

Shakaar paled and clutched the back of the chair. "I don't understand."

"We performed tests on the remains, including a holographic feature recovery on the skull. It's definitely the same woman in the picture," Julian said coolly.

"That's-that's impossible," Shakaar stuttered. He slowly sat down in his chair and shook his head. "She can't be dead."

"Her name, what was her name?" Garak repeated.

"Sinles. Her name is - was Kel Sinles," His skin was an unhealthy shade of yellow and he swallowed convulsively. "How?"

"Are you sure her name was Kel Sinles?" Garak leaned forward, his eyes searching Shakaar's face.

"Yes, of course I'm sure!" Shakaar burst out. "What's wrong with you people? Where's Nerys? I need to explain to her-"

"Major Kira is aware that you've been arrested," Odo broke in. "Due to her condition, the doctor recommended she not be present during your questioning."

"I'm being arrested for this?" Shakaar's voice grew shrill. "I didn't kill her!"

"The evidence says otherwise," Odo said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What evidence?" He flushed with anger, "How can there be evidence if I didn't do it? How do you know that the Cardassians - that HE didn't plant the evidence?" He pointed to Garak, his voice rising with every word.

"Actually, First Minister, you should know that of everyone here, I'm the only one who is convinced of your innocence," Garak stated.

"This isn't happening," he muttered. "This is insane!"

"Shakaar," Sisko said sharply, "tell us about this woman who called herself Kel Sinles - how did you meet her and when?

"I met her a few months ago," Shakaar ground out. "She volunteered at my campaign office and we struck up a conversation. After a while she became my personal secretary. She joined me on the campaign trail - it was her job! There's nothing sinister about that!"

"And what else?" he asked.

"There is nothing else!" he shouted, "She just worked for me and then about seven or eight weeks ago she quit! I haven't heard from her since."

"You didn't think that was suspicious? Her just disappearing without a word or asking you for a letter of recommendation?" The captain leaned forward.

"People leave all the time; it's a stressful job," Shakaar snorted. "I've been through three secretaries this year alone, Captain. I'm a difficult man to work for, I keep long hours and I travel a lot. She was a young girl, good at her job, but she wasn't even twenty years old. You know how unreliable young people are! My schedule made it so she couldn't keep a boyfriend, she couldn't take any time off for herself - hell, I haven't even seen Nerys in almost a month! Of course she left, and I replaced her within two days. Life goes on." He got up to leave. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other business to attend to."

"Sit down, First Minister, or I'll have to restrain you," Odo said coldly as he stepped forward.

"Are you serious?" He turned to Sisko in disbelief. "What is this?"

"You're a suspect in the murder of one of your...employees," Odo said carefully. "Right now this is merely an informal questioning, but if you attempt to leave or request legal counsel, this all goes on the record and I don't think that would look good to the voters, do you?"

"I'll just bet you're loving this, Odo." Shakaar's voice dripped with venom. He sat down and gave the constable a dismissive look. "This is ridiculous! Dragging me all the way up here for something we could have discussed over a comm channel - this was your idea, wasn't it, Odo? You think I don't know how you feel about Nerys? It's obvious. In fact, the only one who doesn't see it is her! You probably figure that if you pin this murder on me she'll come running to you - well, it's not going to happen."

"I suspect that the minute Major Kira found out you were sleeping with someone else, your relationship was over anyway, whether you actually killed her or not," the Constable said simply.

Shakaar blanched. "Who said I was sleeping with her? I never said that! Is that what you told Kira?" He turned back to Sisko. "Ben, I have to talk to Nerys about this, please. It's not how it looks. I mean - damn it! How could you just spring this on me? I thought we were friends, I thought..." He started to get back up. "Where is Kira? I need to speak to my campaign manager as well-"

"First, you need to talk to us," Sisko said calmly. "The girl, tell us about her."

"Sinles?" Shakaar scrubbed his hand over his face and slumped in his chair, "She...we met a few months ago at a fundraiser. She was very shy and well-spoken. She offered to volunteer at my campaign headquarters so I told her who to get in touch with."

"And then?" Sisko urged.

"Then she started working there full-time. She was very skilled at data entry. My secretary was offered a position with a company located in Risa and he quit without giving notice, and Sinles offered to fill in. We were strictly professional with each other," he sighed.

"You're lying, First Minister," Garak chided. "Understandable, but you're making a big mistake."

"What the hell do you know about any of this?" Shakaar asked angrily.

"More than you think," Garak returned. "There's an old saying among interrogators: Little lies lead to big lies. Right now, you're lying about your relationship with your secretary because you're surrounded by men your lover, Major Kira, calls her friends. You don't want to admit you had an affair, that you cheated on her, because that would make you look weak and possibly cause you to lose face, not to mention damage your relationship with the Major. Your fears are unnecessary, I assure you." Garak tilted his head and looked at him calmly. "She already knows about the affair. She has proof of everything. Your relationship with Major Kira is now moot: start worrying about yourself instead. Tell us about Sinles."

Shakaar gave Garak a measured look as a muscle worked in his jaw. "What proof do you have?"

"You'll find out soon enough," the Cardassian said enigmatically. "Now, are you going to start telling us about the girl, or should the constable go ahead and charge you?"

Odo stepped forward. Shakaar looked at him and growled, "Fine! Sinles started working for me and we eventually became lovers - satisfied? Is that what you wanted to hear? I'm not going to deny any of that. She's a beautiful woman and I am a single man; there's nothing illegal or immoral about anything we did, but just because we had sex does not mean that I killed her!"

"While you were in a relationship with Major Kira." Odo pinned him with his ice blue stare which Shakaar returned with equal venom.

"Yes, I was in a relationship with her, but Nerys was more concerned about this station than me. So much so, she decided to carry her crewmate's baby without consulting me, and did so knowing how badly it would reflect on us both!" He said roughly. "Krath was already harping on family values and the fact that Nerys and I weren't married – her surrogacy just poured fuel on the political fire!"

"That's a little convenient," Julian said accusingly. "Nerys offers to save the life of an unborn child and you use that as an excuse to cheat on her?"

"You weren't there!" Shakaar said defiantly. "It wasn't...tawdry or anything like that. Nerys and I were just-we were seeing each other, but we never said we were going to be exclusive and, like I said, I was a little put out that she didn't consult me about becoming a surrogate first."

"There wasn't any time!"

"I know that, doctor! Do you think I didn't know that?" He rubbed his temples. "I was under a lot of stress, Kai Winn was using every excuse she could to hurt my campaign and the Bajor First party was calling me a liberal traitor. They smeared my reputation in the press saying that I wanted to sign Bajor over to the Federation just so I could hang on to a few soil reclaimers. My numbers were down in the polls, Nerys was stuck on Deep Space Nine, and Sinles was there, wanting me, listening to what I had to say. So, one night..."

"You started an affair," Garak finished for him.

"Yes, we started an affair." He closed his eyes. "She was so shy, so unsure of herself, but utterly...charming." He cleared his throat. "We just - I meant to end it after that first night, but I couldn't. We're all men here," and he glared at Odo, "most of us, anyway. I'm not saying what I did was right, but surely you can understand how it happened." He looked around, "How did you even find out about this? What evidence do you have that makes you think I killed her?"

"We received an anonymous tip," Sisko said quietly.

"That's it? You're prepared to destroy my career, everything we've worked toward on an anonymous tip?" He scoffed. "Yes, I had sex with her, I won't bother lying about that anymore, but like I pointed out earlier, I'm not married. Nerys and I are dating but she has no illusions about who I am and what my needs are. I asked her to come back with me to Bajor and she chose to remain here. I may be many things, but I am not a killer and some - made-up piece of fiction isn't going to change that or get you a conviction in a Bajoran court!"

"We have more than just the PADD, First Minister," Odo said in a gravelly tone, his eyes boring into the Bajoran from across the room.

"Tell me then, Constable, what evidence do you think you have?" Shakaar asked, turning in his chair to face the changeling.

"She was pregnant with your child."

Shakaar reared back as if struck. His face paled. "You're lying. Ben," he looked at Sisko for conformation. "He's lying, right?"

"No, Shakaar, I'm afraid not." The captain's face remained expressionless, his voice cool and detached.

Julian placed a second PADD in front of him. "She was a month along, at least. She knew she was pregnant."

Shakaar picked up the PADD, then allowed it to slip from his fingers numbly. "Oh my Prophets, this...this can't be happening." He laid his head on his arms and began to breath raggedly. "I didn't know...she said... she said she had something to tell me, something important, but then she just disappeared. I thought she was going to tell me she was leaving me." A sob caught in his throat. "I was so angry with her and now - she's gone. My baby..." He looked up, his expression stricken. "If she had told me I would have taken care of her, of our child! I-I." He looked toward Julian. "What was it?"

"What?" Julian said, his demeanor obviously unsettled by the look on the man's face.

"The baby? Was it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy," he said quietly.

"A boy. We had...would have had a son..." Shakaar turned to the captain, "I don't know if Nerys ever told you this, but I had a child once, a girl. Her name was Mirena. She was only four when she and my wife - when they were murdered by Cardassian soldiers. I would never hurt her or our baby! You have to believe me, Ben. I would never hurt my own child! You're a father, you know what I'm talking about!"

"But like you said, you didn't know she was pregnant," Odo pointed out.

"It doesn't matter! I cared about her! About Sinles – she knew that, she could have told me!"

"This wasn't just sex, was it?" Julian asked quietly.

"I...no, I guess it wasn't."Shakaar hung his head. "I was probably lying more to myself than any of you when I said it was just a casual affair. It wasn't love, not like what I felt for my wife when she was alive, but it was more than what I wanted it to be, especially on her part."

"What do you mean? Was she pressuring you, stalking you?" Garak asked. He watched Shakaar, gauging his reaction to the question carefully.

"No, no not at all." Shakaar rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "She just..she got very clingy; it was obvious that she was falling in love with me."

"What did you tell her?" Julian asked.

"I made sure she got the message, that sex was as far as I was willing to go."

"Then what?" the doctor urged.

"She left the next day, so I figured she didn't like my answer."

"Who else knew about the affair?" Garak asked him carefully.

"No one." Shakaar rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "I didn't even tell my campaign manager about it. If he found out, he would have given me hell over it."

"Do you trust him?" Garak asked.

"I trust Salum with my life," Shakaar said, "but I knew he wouldn't approve of me taking my secretary into my bed, much less my cheating on Nerys! We all served together during the Occupation."

"If he did find out, what would he have done about it?" Julian asked, suspicion written all over his face.

"There's no way he would have had anything to do with this!" Shakaar insisted. "If he had found out, he would have confronted me first. The worst thing that would have happened is he'd have punched me in the jaw. If he did find out about Sinles and kept it from me, I could conceive of him firing her, maybe even paying her off, but I know for a fact that didn't happen. He was as surprised as anyone when she just took off after the rally like that."

"In Opalas?" Garak supplied.

"Yeah - yes," Shakaar said, shaken by Garak's answer. "Was-was that where you found her?"

"What happened at the rally?" Garak asked without answering.

"She - well, it was just another rally." Shakaar shrugged off his distress and continued. "I made my speech and had a debate with Krath Milnar. She was at the edge of the stage watching us, like always." He took a breath. "She was radiant, happy - I thought it was because the debate had gone so well. We had to be at another rally the next day, so I made plans with her to meet in my room later. I had to prepare my speech for the next day and...well, we had fallen into a habit of eating in and sharing breakfast the next day. I always got us connecting rooms anyway. I do that with all my secretaries so if anything comes to me in the middle of the night, we can work on it together. Don't assume that means I'm in the habit of seducing my staff! She was the first."

Odo snorted humorlessly causing Sisko to give him a censuring look.

"After the rally, what happened?"

"I looked for her and she was talking to Krath's Chief of Staff, some woman, I think her name is Hali or Howlie or something. All I know is she's a real ball-buster from her reputation. She was talking to Sinles about how the debate went, and I thought about stepping in to rescue her, but then Krath wanted to discuss a few things with me and I was trying to keep the lines of communication open. I mean, I wanted to get the campaign back on track and all the muck-raking was doing was alienating the voters from the real issues. We talked for about three hours over drinks - my campaign manager was there the whole time. When we got back to the hotel, she wasn't in the room. I figured she got tired of waiting and went out to eat with the rest of the staff. Salum and I worked until late and I went to bed. She wasn't there when I got up."

"Then what did you do?" Julian asked.

"I looked for her, I called Salum and he asked the staff when they'd last seen her. I was worried she'd been hurt or something, but our shuttlecraft pilot said he saw her leave right after we went to the hotel bar. He said she'd packed an overnight bag and was headed toward the shuttleport. She didn't say a word to anyone, so I figured she had gotten mad about what I had said about not wanting to break things off with Kira and was leaving me."

"Did you consider leaving the Major for her?" Sisko asked, his eyes flashing with subdued anger.

"Yes - no - Ben - I know it-this whole thing, looks bad, but you don't understand." Shakaar took a breath. "This election has been tough on me, and Nerys...she hasn't been there. I don't blame her, but I was alone during one of the most stressful times of my life. I knew Sinles could do the job on short notice so after my last secretary took off, I brought her up to my office. There wasn't anything sleazy or sexual about my decision to hire her - the sex came later. I got to know her, you don't spend 26 hours a day with someone traveling from one end of Bajor to the other without getting to know them, for Prophet's sake!" He rubbed the slight scruff of his beard in agitation. "I was impressed with her knowledge of politics, her demeanor...she was a very intelligent woman. People walk in and out of campaign offices every day, so I only did a cursory background check on her. When I saw she was related to Merel, like I said before, I figured if she didn't want to talk about it and since she didn't put Merel down as a reference there must have been a good reason. Still, she was there, she was good at her job, and she was a very smart, beautiful girl. Nerys was nowhere in sight, and even if she could be, she wanted us to stay apart during the campaign. I understand why she became a surrogate, but the average voter might wonder why the girlfriend of the liberal candidate is pregnant with someone else's baby."

"That's perfectly understandable," Garak agreed quietly.

Shakaar glanced over at him, then looked around. "Look, not to change the subject or to repeat myself, but am I the only one who finds it more than a little ironic that even though I'm surrounded by people I've known and worked with for years, the only person here who believes me is the Cardassian?"

"Life is filled with little ironies, First Minister," Garak said with a smile. "For the last several days I have been tracking this woman, gathering the evidence you see before you, and sifting through untold amounts of information. What I find ironic is that you were the successful leader of a terrorist cell and are a formidable politician and yet you missed one vital piece of information about your secretary that it only took me only days to find out for myself."

"And what was that?" Shakaar asked, looking at him askance.

Garak sat up and looked him in the eye. "This woman was not Kel Sinles."

"What the hell is he talking about?" Shakaar looked around in confusion. "Are you people trying to drive me insane?"

"No, I'm merely giving you the facts as I know them," Garak answered. "The real Kel Sinles is alive and well, and not the woman you hired as your secretary. I don't know why she infiltrated your offices, but I doubt that her getting pregnant was a part of the plan. I also find it a little suspicious that the last person you saw speaking to her was affiliated with your opponent's campaign; however, I digress. Tell us about the conversation you had with her the night before."

Shakaar slumped in his chair tiredly. "Sinles, or whoever she really was, had begun to get very attached. She kept hinting that she wanted me to break things off with Kira. She specifically asked about her pregnancy, if it was my baby and if I was planning on marrying her."

"What did you tell her?" Julian asked.

"I said no, she was carrying the child of one of her fellow officers as a surrogate, but that we were in a relationship. I told her I cared for Nerys, but marriage wasn't something I was prepared for yet."

"Then what?" Garak urged.

"She asked if I ever wanted more children of my own." Shakaar sighed. "She knew about Mirena, everyone on my campaign did. I keep a picture of her on my desk. I had seen her staring at it a few days before. I told her that I hadn't ever allowed myself to think about it, but if I did ever have another child, it would be welcome."

"And this didn't raise any red flags in your mind?" Garak asked.

"I thought she was testing to see if I would consider breaking up with Nerys. I figured she wanted to take our relationship to the next level, and I didn't lie to her." He clenched his jaw reflexively. "I told her that I liked working with her, but so far the only thing we had in common was sex and our jobs. I said that before I would consider having a real relationship with her, we needed to get to know one another better. There were still so many things she hadn't told me - I didn't even know where she came from! She mentioned coming from somewhere in the valley near the river. I figured she was from Gantrip or Walsport or somewhere up near Belava because she had mentioned that the farmers market in Opalas reminded her of her childhood. There aren't many places left on Bajor that support natural crops anymore. I also let her know that even though I was having sex with her, I still cared about Kira and that we'd known each other for years. I told her that I cared deeply for her, but that I was happy with how things stood between us, and until something changed between Kira and me, I had no intention of breaking up with her."

"Basically, you wanted to have your cake and eat it to," Odo said accusingly.

"Yes, Odo, I'm merely mortal, I make mistakes," he shot back. "Why don't you go crawl into a bucket for a while and contemplate that?"

"Enough, gentlemen!" The captain silenced them, then turned to Garak. "How do you want to proceed with this, Mr. Garak?"

"You're leaving my fate up to your tailor?" Shakaar blinked. "Seriously?"

"Mr. Garak is the reason we're even listening to you, Shakaar. Based on this evidence alone, we could have turned this whole thing over to the civil authorities and you would have been arrested days ago," Sisko pointed out. "Mr. Garak?"

"I want to go back down to Bajor and talk with the real Kel Sinles again. I also want to talk to this woman who works for Krath. She may have seen or heard something that could help the First Minister's case."

"You can't let her know anything about what's going on!" Shakaar was insistent. "If the Bajor First Party hears about this, I'm ruined!"

"I will be discreet, I assure you," Garak told him soothingly.

"A Cardassian asking questions about the secretary of her candidate's opponent, that'll seem very discreet," Shakaar muttered.

"I have my methods, First Minister. Your secret is safe with me until such time as my opinion of your innocence changes, at least."

"Very reassuring. And what about my campaign? I have another rally and several meetings scheduled for tomorrow," he said.

"You're going to have to cancel them," Odo said from his place at the door. "Until this matter is settled, I have no choice but to hold you on the suspicion of murder." His icy gaze lit upon Shakaar. "I won't charge you-yet, but if Mr. Garak can't find a way to exonerate you, in 72 hours I have no choice but to place you under arrest and hand you over to the Bajoran Civilian authorities."

"What will we tell people?" Shakaar asked numbly.

"We'll have your staff issue a press statement saying that you were called away for an emergency summit concerning the recent hostile actions of the Founders." The captain got up and walked around to Shakaar, dropping a hand on his shoulder. "I don't believe you did this, Edon, but I have to follow procedure."

"Seventy-two hours," Shakaar said weakly. He turned to Garak. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't," Garak answered. "But I'm all you have right now."

"That's not exactly comforting," Shakaar muttered. He got up to join Odo. "So now what? Are you going to handcuff me and drag me to a holding cell?"

Odo's face remained expressionless, but his eyes flashed with annoyance, "For now, I will trust you to behave and have my men escort you discreetly to your quarters. I will be posting guards on your door, however. If you attempt to escape or make any hostile movements, I will arrest you and charge you with murder - is that clear?"

"I need to speak to my campaign manager; he's waiting for me in Quark's. And Nerys?" he asked, "When can I see her?"

"I'll tell her you asked about her, but I can't guarantee she'll meet with you." He hit the panel near the door and gestured for Shakaar to precede him. "After you, First Minister."

Shakaar left followed by two of Odo's security guards. Odo looked over to the captain, "I'll quietly inform his campaign manager of what has happened, then brief Major Kira for you, Captain. "

"Thank you, Mr. Odo."

After they left, Julian shook his head and sighed in annoyance. "Now what? He obviously had nothing to do with it. He may be a right bastard for cheating on Kira, but he's not our killer.."

"Don't come to any conclusions until all of the evidence is in, my dear," Garak said cautiously. "Shakaar is a politician and words are now his weapon of choice. He could have been faking his shock at the news of his lover's murder. Men kill their companions every day, men even kill their children, born and unborn. We won't know anything until all the players have made their appearance."

"You think there is a bigger plot behind this?" He asked.

"I'm saying I don't know yet. I do know that Shakaar has an alibi and that he saw 'Sinles' speaking with Krath Milnar's Chief of Staff at the rally. The pilot had no reason to lie when he saw her leave on the shuttle, so we should track down her flight plan and question the woman she was speaking with. The only thing we know for sure is that Shakaar's lover is dead and that she was not who she said she was. If we find her true identity, we'll find our killer."

"How do you intend to do that?" Sisko asked as he leaned against the table, watching the by-play between his CMO and the tailor with interest.

"I have a few ideas, but first I think we should go back to Belava and talk to the real Sinles again. I think she may know something."

Julian wrinkled his brow in confusion. "You think the librarian was lying?"

"I'm not sure yet. It may be that she knows our mystery woman, she just didn't realize it at the time." Garak sighed, "In any case, our victim knew her."

"You're basing that on the fact she knew her name and had some idea of where she lived?" the doctor snorted, "She could have just read that off of a computer terminal."

"But why?" Garak returned. "Why pick Sinles as her identity?"

"Because of her connection to Merel." Julian shrugged. "She knew her relationship to a powerful Vedek would open doors for her."

"Ah, but she didn't use that information, did she?" Garak pointed out. "Shakaar stumbled onto that information himself. Remember what he said: his Sinles never talked about Merel. What she did talk about is where she grew up, and even then she wasn't specific. I think the answer lies in Belava after all."

"So you're saying all this was just an accident? That the victim just 'happened' to pick Sinles as her name and 'happened' to wind up sleeping with a politician who 'happened' to know Merel Atina and then she 'happened' to get murdered so someone sent Merel the PADD? Come on!" Julian burst out. "That's just ridiculous!"

"I've heard of stranger coincidences." Garak shrugged.

"I thought you were the one who didn't believe in coincidences?"

"I never said that, my dear. What I said was that I do believe in coincidences; I just don't trust them." He smiled and patted Julian's hand affectionately.

"Well, I think there's something more going on here," Julian scoffed.

"As do I," Garak agreed, "but first things first. We need to speak to Sinles and go from there."

"He's right, doctor. We only have half the information we need to close this investigation," Sisko said. "I'm going to let you take the lead on this, Mr. Garak, So far your instincts have been dead on. I'm leaving this to you, just tell me what you need."

"I appreciate it, Captain," Garak said, obviously moved by the gesture.

"You're going to be a part of my team, Mr. Garak," Sisko replied. "I'm trusting you, for the time being, at least; don't disappoint me."

"I won't," he nodded. He looked over at Julian, "I'll need to borrow the doctor for a few more days along with a runabout, and then I'm going to have to meet with Merel Atina at the capital. I'm going to need her help after all."

\---

Garak and the doctor walked to his quarters and stepped inside. As soon as the doors closed, he pulled Julian into a light embrace and kissed him softly. "Care to spend a few hours in bed with me before we leave for Bajor?"

"I'd love to," Julian whispered against his lips, "But I still have some paperwork to catch up on and I'm exhausted. If I stay here, I know what will happen and it won't be sleep."

"We'll sleep," Garak promised, kissing his neck, "after."

Julian pushed Garak away regretfully. "Later," he promised. "I have to make a few calls and check on the infirmary first. I have a very good staff working under me, but there are some things only the CMO can do. I have nearly a week's worth of reports to sign off on and if I wait until we get back, I'll be spending days just sorting through it!"

"At least stay for lunch?"

"Oh please, like you're even hungry," Julian snorted.

"I'm absolutely famished actually," Garak insisted as he pressed Julian against him.

The doctor gave his companion a warm look. "You're incorrigible."

"Very," he kissed him again.

"And what happens when the children get here?" Julian whispered as Garak nibbled his ear, "We can't let them see their parents always pawing each other just because one of us has to go to work, can we?"

Garak offered him a radiant smile. "I can't believe you arranged all that behind my back!"

"I knew it was what you wanted," he said simply. "All I want is to make you happy."

"I am more happy now than I have ever been in my entire life," Garak said, his eyes bright with sincerity. "I've been thinking, since I've taken this position with Starfleet, I'm going to talk to Ajaz about buying my shop after all. That way I can spend more time here with the children helping them settle in, and the rest of the time I can work on whatever it is the captain needs me for. I should contact Mrs. O'Brien and see what she says about the new teacher at the station's school. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and have Danna send me their records so-"

"Garak, sweetheart, they won't even be living here for at least six months!" Julian laughed. "We have time."

"I suppose, but I still have a lot to do," Garak nodded reluctantly. "I know we said that we wouldn't move in together before the wedding, but couldn't we go ahead and have them assign us quarters? That way I can start decorating their rooms and buying them toys and things. I'll give up these quarters and live there so when the kids come up for weekends they can stay in their rooms and you can sleep over."

"I think we could do that, as long as I stayed in my own quarters the rest of the time. Even my mother would understand that. She wouldn't want the children to sleep on the floor just because we want to keep up appearances, but shouldn't you be concentrating on our wedding and planning for your interview with Starfleet Intelligence?" Julian asked in amusement, "Not to mention this pesky little murder we're in the middle of solving?"

"I already know what our next step is in the investigation and I can't do anything until I speak to Sinles." Garak smirked, "As for the rest, Starfleet Intelligence will take care of itself. They wouldn't have offered me the job if they didn't already know exactly who I was and what I could do for them. And about our wedding," he kissed Julian again, "I've decided to wait until I meet your family before I deal with that. Until then, I'm going to just concentrate on the honeymoon."

"Oh, you're such a temptation," Julian moaned as Garak nibbled his throat. "Enough!" He pushed him away playfully. "I have to go now or I'll wind up tumbling into your bed and forgetting about work! Until you get your official clearance from Intelligence, I'm the only one in this family with a job. Do you really think the Bolean you hired will be interested in buying your shop?"

"Ajaz has already made inquiries about the possibility of my either selling or taking on a partner," Garak nodded. "As soon as you leave, I'll walk over and discuss it with him, but first I think I'll design myself some work clothes for my new position."

"Work clothes? What do you mean?"

"I assume that since I'm going to officially be a member of Starfleet that I should at least dress the part." He brushed some imaginary lint off of Julian's shoulder and grinned. "You know, now that I really look at it, the new uniforms aren't as bad as I thought they were. I rather like the black and gray jackets. I do hope the Captain doesn't expect me to wear a security yellow undershirt though, the command burgundy would look much nicer with my skin-tone."

"What are you talking about?" Julian asked confused.

"The new uniform. With some minor alterations they could even look stylish," Garak quipped.

"Oh." Julian looked down at himself. "I'd gotten so used to these I don't even think of them as the new uniforms anymore. I'm glad they changed them though; you're right, the old ones were a bit gaudy. I just wished they had given us a little more notice about the changeover."

Garak frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, when they scrapped the old ones for the new design?" Julian grinned, "I had just wasted a huge chunk of credits from my monthly uniform allowance replicating extra clothes for my trip and when I got back from the medical conference, they decided to switch over. I had to go to the assay office and ask them to reimburse me - it took all morning just to get it settled."

"The medical conference you went on just before we began seeing one another?"

"Yes, of course!" Julian chuckled. "It's not as though I go on conferences every other week, Garak…although it may seem that way, at least that’s what Miles says."

"Oh yes, I had just forgotten about it, that's all. It took all morning you say? That does sound rather annoying," Garak said, trying to hide his confusion.

"Well, at least the new uniforms are a lot roomier than the old ones and these finally have pockets!" Julian chuckled. "What idiot designs a uniform without pockets, I ask you?"

"The same one who thought lavender goes with everything, I suppose," Garak said with a weak smile.

"You and your fashion obsession! Maybe after we leave Deep Space Nine permanently, we can get you a position as the head tailor for Starfleet. We'll all be running around in leather leggings and wide necked tunics!" Julian gave him a wicked grin then pulled him close and gave him another passionate kiss, "Give me four hours to do what I have to do and I'll meet you here. We'll catch a quick bite and then we'll head down to Bajor. You go ahead and call Merel and see if she can arrange for us to stay somewhere in the capital tonight. Make sure where ever it is, that they have a tub built for two." He nibbled Garak's textured lips and whispered against his mouth, "I want to start our honeymoon early."

"I'm looking forward to it," Garak said, shaking off his sudden discomfiture and leaning in to the kiss.

A few minutes after Julian left, Garak stood at his replicator sipping a cup of tea and going over their conversation in his mind. He distinctly remembered the doctor saying how he was looking forward to the new, far more practical uniforms just a week or so before he left for that last medical conference he went on. He was complaining that while he was gone the uniforms were scheduled to change over and that the replicator wouldn't allow him to go ahead and download the new ones until he got back. The planet hosting the conference was rather cool that time of year and the heavier jacket and natural fibers would have been perfect for his trip.

Another thing that now bothered him, even though at the time he hadn't thought much of it, was his lack of reaction when Garak had discussed one of his former lovers with him. Julian hadn't seemed to remember his meeting with Sek, the silk merchant. Granted, it had been two years since their brief meeting, but he had gone on and on at the time about Sek's father being one of his Academy instructors.

"You're just looking for things to nitpick at now, you old fool," Garak muttered, putting his empty cup back on the replicator pad. "Julian's always been a bit oblivious when it comes to things like that. I'd better go speak to Ajaz before he closes up for lunch."

\---

"How did it go with the lace maker?" Julian asked as they landed the shuttlecraft within easy walking distance of the library.

"He said he needed to discuss it with his wives and husband, but I could consider the shop sold." Garak yawned and stretched. "I got a very good price for it, too. Probably not as good as a Ferengi could have gotten, but at least I left him on good terms. He's even offered to give me access to the shop and help me make Kela and Lewin new wardrobes. He has some really beautiful lace he made when we were gone - a beautiful deep blue fine lace that would look perfect on a little girl with her coloring. I wonder if we can get permission to bring them up for the wedding?"

"A Bolean making blue lace?" Julian asked with a crooked grin. "Not too stereotypical, is it?"

"They're a race that is nothing if not consistent," Garak chuckled, "but it really is beautiful. I can't wait to see her in it."

"We can ask, but I'm not sure we should tell them about what we're planning until it goes through Bajoran Social Services, first. We may get turned down, you never know," Julian warned him.

"Do you think that's a possibility?" Garak asked, suddenly worried.

Julian shrugged. "Danna didn't think so, and Merel owes us a big favor so we probably won't run into a whole lot of obstacles, but still you never can tell." He reached over and squeezed Garak's hand. "One day at a time, okay?"

"You're right, of course," Garak grumbled. "However, since I've already started making the dress, someone is going to wear it. If I have to, I'll make two and Molly O'Brien can wear one of them and we'll save the other for Kela, just in case."

"Miles and Keiko would like that," Julian mused. "I didn't get a chance to talk to him about it today, but I think I'll ask him to be my best man."

"What's that?"

"It's a human tradition," Julian answered. "A witness who stands next to you during the ceremony."

"What's the purpose of this witness?" Garak asked curiously.

"I...really don't know actually." Julian shrugged, "Maybe he's there to take the groom's place in case he backs out at the last minute."

"Well, you'd better not!" Garak raised a critical eyeridge. "Even if Keiko were willing to get rid of the Chief, I certainly don't want to be stuck with him."

"I'm sure he feels the same about you." Julian grinned.

Garak scratched his chin. "Do I need a best man as well?"

"Yes, I suppose you do. Any ideas as to who you'll ask?"

"Possibly," Garak said thoughtfully. "But it will keep until we're back on the station."

"Oh, and by the way, I was thinking about what you said about the new uniforms and I think you're right." Julian got up from his chair and straightened his cuffs. "I hadn't thought about it until now but this one is much less tight around the neck as the old one. I doubt you'll be required to wear a uniform, being a civilian contractor, but I'll bet you could modify the design a bit so you blend in." Julian suddenly chuckled. "I can't wait until Dukat sees you in it, he'll have an apoplexy!"

"Yet another thing to look forward to," Garak said with a smile. "I still haven't gotten used to the idea of Dukat fighting alongside Starfleet. I still say that's going to end badly."

"His daughter has been a positive influence on him." Julian shrugged. "Perhaps Ziyal will help him finally see the light?"

"Ziyal's a sweet girl, but Dukat is far too corrupt to let sentiment get in the way of his quest for power. I wouldn't start trusting him just yet."

"I don't and neither does Sisko or anyone else for that matter," Julian said seriously. "He's still cold-blooded as hell, but for now he's playing along so he's an asset."

"Like me."

Julian gave him a tender look. "You're not just an asset, sweetheart - you're an absolute treasure." He gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Now, let's get off of this ship before I have you bent over the console for the world to see!"

The two men rose from their seats and headed out of the runabout. Garak stared after Julian thoughtfully, looking him up and down. "You never told me your uniform was tight around the neck. If you had told me the old one bothered you, I could have adjusted it for you," Garak said, following out of the runabout.

"Doesn't matter now." Julian shrugged. "I'm just glad they changed them - so glad that I tried to blot the old ones out of my memory! Plus, I was exhausted, I didn't even get to my reports after all, I just took a four hour nap and recovered a bit."

They walked down the path toward town and Garak looked at him warmly. "You could have slept in my bed, you know."

"Then I really wouldn't have gotten any sleep." Julian gave Garak a naughty smile and patted him on the behind.

"Probably not," Garak admitted, but something at the back of his mind began to gnaw at him. He just wasn't sure what it was yet.

"So, what's the plan?" Julian asked as they neared the door of the library.

"I don't know yet," Garak said quietly as he opened the door and looked around the room. When he saw Sinles, he smiled grimly, "but I suppose we're about to find out. Just follow my lead."

"Anything you say," Julian whispered back. "I just wish you'd fill me in on these things ahead of time."

Garak laid a warm hand on Julian's shoulder briefly, "Just trying to keep you on your toes, my dear."

"Why does that concept not make me feel the least bit reassured, I wonder?" Julian muttered.

As the two men approached, Sinles looked up from the terminal she was typing on and frowned, "Oh. Hello again, did you need something else?"

"Yes we do," Garak said, gesturing toward the office, "May we speak to you in private?"

"I'm not interested in talking to my aunt if that's why you're here." She started to walk away, but Garak held her arm. "Get your hand off of me," she said coldly.

"Ms. Kel, you can either talk to us now or I can have you arrested for impeding a murder investigation."

Julian's eyebrows rose sharply at Garak's bluff, but luckily Sinles didn't notice. "Wha-what did you say?"

"You heard me, now move," Garak growled and she reluctantly led them to the office.

After the door closed behind them, Sinles looked from one man to the other nervously. "What's this all about? What murder?"

Garak nodded at the doctor who produced the PADD with a picture of their victim on it. "Remember when we showed you this woman's picture? You said you'd never seen her before."

"I haven't," Sinles shook her head.

"You're lying," Garak retorted. "Now this woman-" He took the PADD and tapped one of the commands so that her remains lit up the small screen, "is just a heap of decayed flesh and bone. Now, I'm not sure what your motives are, but either you're lying about knowing who she was, or you're lying about who you are, either way you're guilty of impeding our investigation. The question you have to ask yourself is this: do you want to go to jail for withholding evidence, or accessory to murder?"

Sinles began to shake all over, her brown eyes wide with fear, "I-I-I need to speak with Mrs. Dekalpa-"

"You'll speak to us first," Garak said sharply. "How do you know this woman?"

The woman remained silent, her eyes shifting toward the door.

"Answer me!"

"Garak..." Julian said softly, but Garak brushed his hand away and stared into the frightened girl's eyes.

"She's dead, and she was living under your identity. She knew details about this town and your life - you know something you aren't telling us."

She still said nothing, her eyes shut tight as she shivered and clutched her arms.

"When you first said you didn't want to see your aunt, I thought it was because you felt abandoned by her and you were angry that it took so many years for her to reach out to you, but then I started thinking about this woman, about how much she actually looked like Merel and about you...you're nothing at all like her, are you? Garak said thoughtfully. "All this time, we've thought you were the real Kel Sinles, but maybe you're the imposter. Am I right?"

She took a shaky breath and turned her face away from Garak.

"It's the only thing that makes sense, really," Garak continued. "We've been spending the lion's share of this investigation asking ourselves who this woman was. Everyone who knew her said she was Kel Sinles, including whoever sent us this PADD. We kept wondering why anyone would go to all the trouble of providing us with so much accurate information, and yet lie to us about who she really was. I'm beginning to suspect it's because she really was Kel Sinles; they just didn't know you were living under her identity."

Julian looked at her in surprise, then back at Garak, "She's not Sinles? I don't get it. Why would she lie about that? What's the point?"

"Excellent question, doctor." Garak looked at her sharply. "You have caused us to waste several days trying to figure out the identity of this woman and you might have given her killer the time he or she needed to cover their trail. A simple bio-scan will answer all of our questions, whether you want to or not." He waited, then turned to Julian. "Fine, have it your way. Doctor, use your tricorder and compare her DNA to -"

"Okay! Okay! I'm-I'm not really Kel Sinles," she said quietly.

Julian looked at her in shock while Garak just narrowed his eyes. "Who are you then?"

"My-my name is Fara Nal. I was in a group home with Sinles for a while, that's where I got her name."

"Why did you steal her identity?" Julian asked, surprised.

"I didn't steal it," she defended, "I just...borrowed it."

"Why?"

Nal pursed her lips in frustration, "You can't tell Mrs. Dekalpa - promise me you won't!"

"Tell us what you know and we'll consider it," Garak said, his eyes flashing with annoyance.

"Sinles and I - we-we were both living in some rat hole of a group home about 15 kilometers from here, It was a home for..." she sighed, "It was a rehabilitation home for endangered teens."

"And?" Julian asked.

"Do you even know what that is?" She gave him a withering glare, "It's a home for child prostitutes and habitual runaways."

"And you were a...?"

"Well, let's just say that of the two of us I wasn't the runaway," Nal ground out.

"Why did you take Sinles's identity?" Garak asked again.

"The home is less an orphanage and more of a trade school," Nal explained. "Potential 'sponsors' read your file and hire you for on the job training. Sinles and I were friends and when we got picked, I was supposed to go to the capital to work in some secretarial pool and Sinles was supposed to come here to work at the library. My old...well, for lack of a better term, 'boyfriend' lived in the capital and if I showed my face back there he'd kill me. Sinles said she wanted to go to the city instead; she had this dream about becoming an actress or something. I told her the only acting job she'd find would be in holo-porns screwing whatever alien of the week the director could find, but she didn't listen to me. It was her idea! She said I could use her identity to get this job and she'd use mine. She wasn't supposed to go back to using her old name! She gave it to me, fair and square," she sulked.

"Couldn't Mrs. Dekalpa tell by your picture that you weren't Sinles?" Julian asked.

"They don't see your picture, just your bio and case file," Nal snorted. "They claimed it was to protect our identities and save us from the shame of it all, like when you show up they forget what they read? Please. Anyway, I came here and I liked it. I liked the quiet and the books, and Mr. and Mrs. Dekalpa treated me nicely, almost like I was family. If I was just some street whore they never would have taken me into their home like that!"

"Where did Sinles go when she left the group home?" Garak prodded.

"Some entry level position at a firm called Hali/Meenks Enterprises in Dahkur," Nal said with a shrug. "I figured with my arrest record, some pervert picked my file so he could make me his personal 'secretary', the kind who doesn't exactly type if you know what I mean. I warned her, but she said she could take care of herself."

"Has she contacted you at all in the last four years?" Garak asked.

"Only once," Nal admitted. "About a year after she left, she sent me a text over the library terminal. She said I wasn't totally wrong about the person who picked my file but that everything was okay now; she was in love and everything was great. That's all she said except that she hoped that my life was turning out as well as hers had. I never contacted her and until you showed up, I hadn't seen her in four years."

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Julian asked, flabbergasted.

Nal looked at him and rolled her eyes, "And go back to my old life? I have a life here, as Sinles. She didn't want it and now it's mine! I'm sorry she's dead, but I have a home here, friends--I even go to Temple every Friday now. What would happen if the same people who trusted me to tutor their kids found out that from the time I was 12 years old I worked by sucking off drunken soldiers and bored husbands in a back alley? I'd be run out of town!"

"You might be surprised," Julian said quietly. "These people seem fairly tolerant and adhere to the teachings of the Prophets; they might understand."

"Oh yeah, that whole 'forgiveness is a part of the will of the Prophets' spiel?" Nal snorted humorlessly, "Works in theory, not so much in practice. Now that you have your information, could you just leave me in peace and, do me a favor - don't come back."

"We have what we need," Garak said, gesturing for Julian to follow. As he reached the door he bowed his head elegantly, "Thank you, Ms. Fara. You may not believe this, but it has been a rare pleasure indeed."

"I've heard that before," she said just before the door shut for the last time.

\---

For a long time, Julian said nothing as he piloted the small runabout toward the capital. Finally, he asked, "When did you figure all that out?"

Garak looked up from the PADD he was working on and shrugged, "Honestly, I'd been thinking about it ever since the interview with First Minister Shakaar. I should have figured it out a lot sooner than that, actually."

"Why do you say that?"

"You kept saying it yourself: what's the point of her using a false identity? It held no strategic value for her or the killer. The only thing it accomplished was to complicate the whole investigation," Garak said slowly. "I started thinking to myself; what if we had never found the 'real' Kel Sinles? The investigation would have gone in a whole different direction. We immediately would have started by investigating her history and discovered that she was Shakaar's secretary. He would have been arrested more than a week ago and that would have been that. Obviously, the anonymous source had that scenario in mind when he or she sent the PADD to Merel Atina."

"Why do you say that?" Julian asked. "I mean, if they really wanted to implicate Shakaar, why wait seven weeks after she dies to do it?"

"Timing, my dear." Garak punched some information into the PADD and showed it to him. "The elections are taking place at the end of the week and Shakaar is up in the polls. If Merel had done as I suspect the informant intended her to do and simply gone to the civil authorities, he would have been arrested in what would have appeared to be an open and shut case. Whoever this person was, they didn't count on Merel Atina coming to me with the information she had acquired and they certainly didn't know about the librarian."

Julian seemed to quietly absorb what Garak had told him for a moment before speaking again. "So, following that logic, the person we're looking for is on Krath Milnar's staff, and since his Chief of Staff is named Hali and Kel Sinles worked for a firm called Hali/Meenks Enterprises, she's just graduated to the top of our list of suspects."

"Not to mention that according to Shakaar, Ms. Hali was one of the last people to speak to Sinles before she disappeared." Garak's tapped his chin thoughtfully, "We need to get close to Shakaar's opponent if we want to bring Sinles's killer to justice."

"I doubt he'd just welcome us with open arms, Garak." Julian snorted. "From what I've heard about him he likes the Federation about as much as he likes Cardassia. Besides," he added, "if we start asking questions about Sinles, he'll know something is up and we'll never get any information out of him! Shakaar only has a couple of days left before Odo has to charge him."

"You're right." Garak's face suddenly lit up he turned to Julian. "Take us back to the station immediately!"

"Why? What's going on?"

"Just do it. I have to comm Merel and then we need to get to the Infirmary as quickly as possible!"

"Are you sick? What am I missing here?" Julian searched his face as he took the runabout into a higher orbit.

"No doctor, I'm not sick, but I am going to need some emergency surgery...and so are you." He grinned.


	10. Charity Begins at Home

\---  
Chapter Ten: Charity Begins at Home  
\---

 

"This is insane!"

"We've seen this sort of thing work before."

Julian crossed his arms and gave his fiancé a stubborn look, "What you want   
to do-we just don't have enough time! A simple scan will tell them   
everything they need to know!"

Garak sighed and jumped up on the biobed as he rewarded Julian with a   
patient smile, "How many politicians scan every visitor that crosses their   
threshold with a tricorder? Not many, I'll bet--not even xenophobes like   
Krath Milnar."

"Garak, you're talking about major surgery here!" The doctor turned to his   
associate for help, "If you won't believe me, ask Dr. Okuna! Dan, please   
talk some sense into him?"

Dr. Okuna looked from his superior officer to the tailor slowly, "Dr. Bashir   
is right, Mr. Garak. I mean, I can do the surgery if that's what you both   
want, but all I have to do for the Doctor is add some nose ridges. To make a   
Cardassian look Bajoran is major surgery that takes several days."

"I don't need to look Bajoran," Garak sighed. "I need to look like a   
Bajoran/Cardassian hybrid and I don't need to have any genetic manipulation   
done beyond the cosmetic."

"It's still risky," He pointed out. "There could be scarring."

Garak rolled his eyes, "I assure you, despite what you may have heard about   
me, I'm not so vain as to be devastated by a few unsightly scars. I'd even   
learn to live with the nose ridges if I had to. Ziyal looks quite charming   
with hers, and it would probably get me a better seat in the Bajoran   
restaurant the next time I get a hankering for fried Happa fruit."

"This isn't funny, Garak," Julian growled.

"I never said it was, my dear."

The Infirmary doors opened and Captain Sisko walked in. "Vedel Merel just   
commed me. She said that she'll meet you at the Capital Temple with your   
documents and everything else you asked her to bring."

"Captain, this is madness!" Julian cried. If we really need to do this, I   
can go alone or I'll get someone else to join me-perhaps Odo can shape shift   
and pretend to be a Bajoran?"

"No." Garak shook his head, "As much as I respect Odo for his investigative   
skills, his ability to keep the shape of a human or Bajoran is limited.   
Besides," he added, "no one would ever believe Odo was anything but law   
enforcement, no matter what face he assumes."

"But-!"

"He's right, doctor," Sisko interrupted. He turned to Okuna, "How long will   
it take to make the changes to Garak's appearance?"

"Well..." he scrutinized the tailor's bone structure and features carefully.   
"If I use Ziyal as an example of what the average Cardassian/Bajoran hybrid   
looks like and I didn't do anything but simple surface changes, I'd say no   
more than four hours. It would be fast and dirty though, and with at a   
higher risk to the patient. I'll have to soften his ridges and change his   
skin tone along with the rhinoplasty, and he should rest for at least   
another eight to ten hours after that so I can monitor his reaction to the   
procedures carefully. In all good conscience, Captain, the earliest he could   
leave is late tomorrow afternoon and even then there is a risk of permanent   
damage to the epidermis."

"That's too long," Garak shook his head. "I want to be on Bajor tonight."

Okuna shook his head, "I'm sorry, as your surgeon I can't recommend that at   
all."

"It's not up for debate." The Cardassian said stubbornly.

Julian scowled at Garak then turned to the doctor, "Fine! You want to do   
this, I'll go with you. Just do the surgery, Dan. I'll be there to monitor   
his medical condition personally."

"But, what about your surgery?" Okuna asked with a frown. "If you want me to   
do both procedures tonight-"

"You work on Garak, I can perform my own rhinoplasty."

"But-"

"It's just a simple surface procedure," Julian held up his hand to stop him.   
"I'll go to my quarters and do it in the bathroom mirror. I only need a   
local anesthetic anyway. The surgery will take twenty minutes, tops, and   
I'll nap afterward. Comm me as soon as Garak is ready for transport and   
we'll meet Vedek Merel on Bajor and spend the night at the Temple."

"Dr. Bashir..." Okuna began.

"Dan, if anyone knows how to do this surgery, it's me. You just take care of   
Garak." Julian walked over to the biobed and kissed the man in question   
softly before glaring at him, "And do me a favor; sew his mouth shut while   
you're at it."

"Are you sure you want to see that happen, my dear?" Garak asked with a   
bawdy wink.

"Don't push it!" Julian turned to the other surgeon. "That's my fiancé on   
that biobed, Okuna-screw up and you won't like what I put in your year-end   
evaluation, understand?"

"Uh, yes sir." Okuna said, his almond shaped eyes flicking from one man to   
the other.

"Good luck, gentlemen." Sisko nodded to Garak. "I'll comm Merel back and   
tell her to expect you."

"Thank you."

Julian laid his hand on Garak's cheek and gazed deeply into his eyes, "I   
don't like this."

"I know," Garak said softly. "It has to be done though, my love. Besides,   
I'll have my own personal physician watching over me the whole time, right?"

"Just try to get rid of me!" Julian kissed Garak again. "Be safe," he   
whispered.

"You, too." Garak smiled, "I'm going to miss that nose of yours, you know."

Julian chuckled, "It's not like it'll be permanent or anything."

"No, it won't."

Julian narrowed his eyes a little, "I'm not overreacting here, Garak. A few   
nose ridges are a lot easier to reverse than what you're having done."

"I'll be fine." He assured him.

"You had better." Julian kissed him one last time, "And don't even think   
about flirting with Dan! You already have a doctor on the hook and I doubt   
his girlfriend would appreciate you getting fresh with him."

"Damn. You figured it out." Garak pouted comically causing Okuna to snicker   
at the antics of the two men.

"Gee, Dr. Bashir, you didn't tell me I was going to be operating on Don Juan   
today," Okuna joked.

"Not quite, but he does have his dubious charms." Bashir said drily as Garak   
offered the other physician a playful wink. "Knock it off."

"Of course, my dear."

"Are you coming, doctor? There's a few last minute details we need to   
discuss before your surgery." Sisko called from the door.

"Be good." Julian said, patting Garak on the cheek affectionately before   
joining the captain.

Garak watched Sisko and Julian leave then lay back on the biobed. "Are you   
sure about this, Mr Garak?" Okuna asked before beginning the procedure. "I   
wasn't exaggerating about the dangers associated with performing this type   
of procedure in such a short time period."

"Thank you for your concern, doctor, but I'm sure."

Okuna smiled as he followed Garak's gaze. "I've known Dr. Bashir for about   
three years now, and I have to tell you, even before you two got together   
you're all he ever seemed to talk about. Even when he dated Leeta, all he   
talked about was what the two of you discussed during lunch." Okuna placed a   
gentle hand on the Cardassian's shoulder, "I know a lot of people weren't   
too thrilled when the doctor took your relationship public, but I'm glad   
he's happy now. Since the two of you got together, it's like he's a whole   
different man."

"You think so?" Garak asked, trying not to look desperate.

"God, yes!" The surgeon snorted, "Before you two started dating, well-Dr.   
Bashir was always a great doctor, but he was always a little...closed off,   
you know what I mean? He always tried to give people the impression that he   
was sensitive and funny, but he never really let anyone get close. Since the   
two of you got together it's like he's so much more serious and focused.   
I've never seen him so in touch and public with his feelings before. As long   
as I've known him, he's never been so unabashedly affectionate toward anyone   
until you."

"I've noticed the changes as well, but I thought I was imagining them."   
Garak wrinkled his brow in thought, "And you think that this is a positive   
change? I mean, in regards to his work?"

"He's a lot better with his patients, that's for sure," Okuna said with a   
smile. "He always made sure to appear very caring and charming, like I said,   
but it was just on the surface. As soon as they left the Infirmary, he'd   
switch off, you know? Now, it's like he wants to know everything about the   
patients he treats-where they work, what they do, where they go in their   
spare time, little stuff. I don't think there's anyone left on the station   
he doesn't know by name. Before, he always had to look at their charts even   
if they'd been in before. He's even more friendly toward the medical staff.   
I used to ask him to join Eliza and me for dinner at least a couple of times   
a month and he always gave us an excuse why he couldn't come. Just the other   
day, out of the blue, he said that as soon as you and he finished your   
project that he wanted us both to join you guys for dinner! He's never done   
that before. You've really been good for him."

"He's been good for me as well," Garak said softly, so touched by what the   
young man before him was saying that he didn't bother to hide behind his   
usual sarcasm or false smiles. Maybe he was changing as well, he mused.

"But enough of that," Okuna said squaring his shoulders and once again   
slipping into the role of physician. "Do you have any questions or concerns   
before we begin?"

Garak's brow wrinkled in thought, "Yes actually. During the procedure...?"

"Yes, Mr. Garak?"

Garak looked up at him and grinned. "After you add the wrinkles to my nose,   
could you perhaps remove any others you run across at the same time?" He   
winked jauntily. "I promise you, I won't be needing them back."

Okuna chuckled, "Might as well. Starfleet's paying for it, right?"

"Good point! In that case..."

\--ooOoo-

 

"ow."

"Oh shut up."

Garak poked his face gingerly and winced.

"Stop touching it!" Julian said smacking his hand then scowling as he   
piloted the runabout toward the landing pad behind the Temple.

"I think the anesthesia has made you cranky," Garak sulked.

"And I think you've finally lost your mind!" Julian snapped. "I should have   
never let you do this."

Garak turned gingerly in his seat and examined his lover's face, "You know,   
I wouldn't have thought so before, but you look very attractive as a   
Bajoran."

"Save it! I'm tired, sore, and angry and there isn't a chance in hell that   
I'll be falling for that dubious charm of yours anytime soon!" he growled.   
"It's the middle of the goddamned night and you had major surgery less than   
seven hours ago but instead of being in the Infirmary where you belong,   
you've got me smuggling you into a Bajoran Temple so you can play spy in   
your golden years! How I ever let you talk me into this, I'll never know."

"You volunteered, remember?" Garak poked at his sore ridges again. "By the   
way, you really hurt my feelings just now. That comment you just made was   
totally uncalled for."

"What comment? The one about your dubious charms?"

"No, the one about me playing spy in my golden years," Garak sulked. "I'm   
barely out of my forties, I'll have you know. Plus, I happen to be quite fit   
and many people have commented that I look much younger than my actual age.   
I've had people say I look maybe thirty, thirty-five at the most."

Julian rolled his eyes as he landed the craft. "Good Lord, man. I've dated   
women less vain than you."

"Now you're just being unpleasant."

Julian arose from his seat and offered Garak his hand, "Come on then, we   
have to get you settled in bed and first thing tomorrow we have to put this   
mad plan of yours into action."

Garak looked at Julian's hand crossly then got up from his seat ignoring the   
younger man's offer of help. He took three steps toward the door then   
stopped, swaying slightly, before clutching at one of the panels and   
breathing heavily.

"Garak!" Julian reached out to steady him. "Are you in pain? Nauseated?"

"I-I'm fine, just dizzy," he mumbled.

"Bloody hell! I told you we left too soon! That's it, we're going back-"

"No, no!" Garak said quickly, "It's just a touch of traveler's sickness,   
that's all. Perfectly normal."

"The runabout has state of the art stabilizers and you've never been travel   
sick a day of your life until now." Julian grabbed his medical bag and   
pulled out his tricorder, scanning him quickly. "You're a little anemic from   
the surgery on your ridges and the Dermalyse injections Dr, Okuna used to   
soften your skin can add to that. I really hate it when you put yourself in   
the middle of these things, I warned you there would be side effects, but   
did you listen? No. You never listen!" Julian took out a hypospray and   
injected something into Garak's neck.

"Ow."

"You bloody idiot!" Julian cursed him. "When are you going to get it through   
your thick skull that as a doctor I might have a better handle on what is   
and isn't safe? Ten hours wouldn't have made that big of a difference."

"It had to be done." Garak said dourly. "You're right though, I probably   
should have listened, but we're here now. Can't we just do what we have to   
do and get settled in our room? I'm very tired."

Julian's anger appeared to melt away and he took Garak's arm carefully. "As   
soon as we can we're going to bed and I'm giving you a thorough   
examination."

"Sounds like fun, my dear, but I might not be up to it tonight, I'm afraid."   
Garak joked weakly.

"I am not amused," Julian said darkly as they exited the craft.

Garak squinted his eyes and peered at Julian's face, "Odo? Is that you?"

"Oh, hilarious. Knock it off."

"I thought it was funny."

"I didn't."

"Garak?" Merel Atina, followed closely by Owin Grea, walked toward them,   
slowly taking in the Cardassian's much changed appearance. Garak's skin was   
much pinker now, his ridges less defined and the spoon-like embellishment on   
his forehead now quite shallow. In addition, five well defined ridges now   
adorned his nose. "Oh my."

"I look that good, eh?" Garak asked wearily.

"You certainly look...different." She turned to Julian, "Is he all right?"

"He's weak. He'll probably be fine by morning." Julian put his arm around   
Garak's waist tighter and turned to Owin, "Would you mind getting our bags   
for us?"

"Oh, of course," the older man said as he hurried forward to take the   
doctor's medical case and their small duffle bag. "Do you need help getting   
him to the rectory?"

"I think I can manage under my own steam, thank you," Garak said shakily.

The four of them walked slowly toward the large stone structure next to the   
Temple. Owin walked behind Garak while Merel kept pace beside Julian.

"I don't believe we've ever been formerly introduced," she said to the   
doctor quietly. "Many of my fellow priests have told me good things about   
you though, doctor. Your work with the orphans is most appreciated."

"Thank you, ma'am. Your mission is a very worthy cause, I'm just glad I can   
help." He smiled as he helped Garak climb the short flight of stairs into   
the rectory.

"The captain said you have the information and documents I requested?" Garak   
asked before wincing and patting at Julian's hand to loosen his grip on his   
side.

"Sorry." Julian apologized, moving his hand to a less inflamed area .

"They're in your cell along with your robes," Merel nodded. "I've contacted   
Reven and Danna to let them know that should anyone other than myself or   
Owin ask for them that the other monks are to say that they are in the   
capital on behalf of the mission gathering financial support. You have   
everyone's full cooperation. My fellow priests here at the rectory have no   
reason not to accept you as anything other than the prylars from Belava   
Provence. Neither of the two men have ever been here nor have any of the   
prylars serving here seen them. If any of our brothers and sisters suspect   
otherwise they'll not voice their concerns to anyone other than myself or   
Owin."

"Excellent," Garak said softly. "Does our room have a bathroom attached by   
any chance?"

"Garak's skin is still very sore, he can't use a sonic shower for at least a   
few more days," Julian explained.

Merel nodded, "Your captain told me. You're both being put up in the   
visitor's quarters. The Temple has enough resources that we have water   
showers and other plumbing fixtures in each room. Yours has a tub as well in   
case he can't tolerate the pressure of the spray."

"Thank the Prophets," Garak fairly moaned in gratitude.

Merel smiled, "Have you decided to take up my religion since last we met,   
Mr. Garak?"

"Just getting into my role, madam." He said painfully.

Merel led them to a large wooden door and placed a soft hand on Garak's   
shoulder, "Mr. Garak, I really want to thank you for all you've done for me   
and for my niece." Her expression was pained, "The Emissary told me that she   
was...well," she blinked her eyes and smiled. "She's with the Prophets now   
and I have confidence that you'll bring her killer to justice."

"I'll do my best," Garak said meeting her eyes confidently.

"I don't doubt it, already you've done far more than I ever could have   
asked." Merel nodded sadly then regained her composure. "Breakfast is at 8   
am after morning prayers. Neither of you are required to attend, we've   
already made your excuses saying that the journey has aggravated a previous   
medical condition and if you need it your morning meal can be brought up to   
you."

"That would be best, I think." Julian said. "He should be fine by morning,   
but we could both use the extra rest and the less the other monks see of us   
the better. If you could have two plates sent up around then, we'd   
appreciate it."

"Of course." She nodded, "Sleep well and know that you are both in my   
prayers."

"Goodnight to you both as well," Julian returned on behalf of them both. He   
allowed Owin past to open the door to their room before helping Garak   
inside.

"Goodnight." Owin nodded as well putting their bags inside the room before   
following the vedek down the corridor.

Julian gently kicked the door shut with his foot then maneuvered Garak onto   
the bed.

Garak looked around the large airy room, taking in the light pink stone of   
the walls and the colorful tapestries that decorated them. The bed was more   
than large enough to sleep both of them comfortably and was covered in   
crisp, white cotton sheets and a warm fluffy duvet. "Had I known how the   
Bajoran clergy lived I wouldn't have bothered becoming a tailor."

"It is nice," Julian agreed testing the mattress. "Very soft though; our   
backs will be sore in the morning. Both of us are too used to those rocks   
Cardassians call beds."

Garak looked at him tiredly, "I wouldn't care if it was filled with sharp   
spikes at this point. I just want to lie down."

"Not yet." Julian walked over to the door to collect his medical bag and   
then placed it on the night stand. "Do you need help removing your clothes?"

"Actually, yes." Garak admitted reluctantly. "My arms feel like lead   
weights."

Julian shook his head as he scanned Garak with his tricorder, his lips   
thinning with frustration. "So bloody stubborn. According to this you have a   
severe abrasion on your shoulder ridge." He put down the device and   
carefully unbuttoned Garak's tunic, watching him carefully. "Tell me if you   
feel your skin begin to pull, all right?"

The doctor quickly but carefully removed his tunic then pulled his thick   
undershirt over his head, careful not to open the wound further. Garak   
hissed in pain.

"Sorry." He said quickly before examining the wound. He reached for the lamp   
beside the bed and removed the shade so he could see better then picked up   
the dermal regenerator. "The scales around your shoulder blade are abraded   
and have begun to bleed a little, probably because your shirt was rubbing   
it. I'm going to start the tub and wash you with an antibacterial soap then   
I'll massage some oil into your skin so it will retain its flexibility. If   
it doesn't improve enough by morning I'll have Owin replicate you a soft   
slip to wear under the robes so they don't rub you raw."

"Sounds good to me," Garak sighed as the DR unit passed over the soreness   
and soothed it away. "I'm fine now if you want to start the water-extra hot,   
please."

"Just over luke warm," he corrected. "Until those scales heal, your skin is   
too sensitive for that. After the bath I'll check you over then give you a   
massage. Had you done as I told you and not been a complete idiot, we could   
have done this in the Infirmary."

"Yes, but here we have real water to soak in," Garak said with a wide smile.

"Oh well, that makes it all worth it then, doesn't it?" Julian retorted   
before going into the bathroom. He stopped at the door of the adjoining room   
and let out a low whistle, "Okay, I'm now rethinking that whole argument   
about you not joining the monastery. In fact, I'm resigning my commission   
and joining you."

Garak arose from the bed stiffly and joined him at the entrance of the   
bathroom. A large rectangular tub, sunken into the floor and surrounded by   
thick, white towels and wash cloths, filled most of the large room. Off to   
the side was a large mirror and sink and a toilet tucked off into the   
opposite corner. "Is it just me, or does it seem obscene that clergy live in   
this much comfort and excess?"

"Well, it is the VIP suite, and since we're the ones being treated to it,   
I'm not complaining." Julian gave him a slow grin, "That tub is more than   
big enough for two, don't you think?"

Garak smiled wearily, "I'm willing to share, but to tell you the truth I   
can't do much more than offer to wash your back for you and even that's   
going to be a trial."

"That's more than enough for me." Julian quickly shed his uniform while   
Garak sat on the commode then turned on the taps making sure the water was   
neither too hot nor too cold for Garak's inflamed skin. "Do you need help   
removing your trousers."

"Yes, please," Garak said, getting up stiffly. "After our bath I wouldn't   
mind another hypospray of pain reliever. I've had beatings that were less

uncomfortable

Julian arched an eyebrow but said nothing. Instead he allowed the other man   
to lean on his shoulder as he removed Garak's boots and socks then helped   
him slip out of his trousers and underwear. He led Garak over to the bath   
and helped him in before going back into the bedroom and bringing back a   
bottle of liquid soap. He slipped behind Garak and reached for a cloth,   
working the soap into the cotton fibers until it was good and sudsy. "I'm   
going to wash your back; let me know if I'm scrubbing too hard."

Garak groaned in pleasure as his lover began to wash his sore back   
carefully, not even minding the slight sting of the water touching his   
reddened flesh. "That's good."

Julian lifted himself up and sat on the corner of the tub. "Lay back and wet   
your hair so I can shampoo it."

Garak held his breath and lay backward until his head was completely   
submerged. He kept his eyes closed as he listened to his own heartbeat under   
the water.

Julian tapped his shoulder, "Get up before you drown."

Garak lifted himself out of the water reluctantly and leaned against his   
lover's legs as Julian began to wash his hair. He shut his eyes and nearly   
purred as Julian scratched softly at his scalp, carefully distributing the   
shampoo throughout his hair and massaging the ends. "I never want to leave   
this tub."

Julian chuckled softly, "I think you'd get fairly waterlogged after the   
first day or so, don't you?" Julian reached for the hand shower and turned   
on the spray, adjusting it until it was the right temperature. "Close your   
eyes."

Garak sputtered a bit as the doctor rinsed out his hair and the water ran   
into his mouth. When he was done, he held out his hand for Julian to pass   
him the wash cloth then wiped his eyes. "Want me to wash your back now?"

"Finish washing your body first. Do you need help with your legs?"

He shook his head no and picked up the bottle of soap Julian had brought   
with them adding a bit to the cloth and running it over his chest. He washed   
himself thoroughly starting with his chest then his groin and buttocks, then   
down both legs. The warm water had loosened his muscles somewhat but by the   
time he was finished he was nearly done in from the exertion.

"Go brush your teeth," Julian said, pushing his shoulder softly. "I don't   
need my back washed."

"Are you sure?"

"Go."

He considered arguing, but he was tired and if he tried Julian would   
probably not appreciate it. Instead he got up from the bath and wrapped one   
of the large towels around his waist then selected another for his hair. He   
walked over to the sink before frowning, "Did you bring the toothbrushes?"

"Oh damn," Julian cursed softly as he started to rise from the water. "Stay   
there and I'll get them."

"No stay," Garak ordered. "I can get them."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

When he got back to the sink with their combined toiletry case, Julian was   
already scrubbing his hair and sitting up in the tub. He smiled as he   
watched his lover dunk his head under the water then pop out with a splash,   
reaching for the soap and another cloth.

"I only wish they had water showers and tubs back on the station."

"Unfortunately, when Terok Nor was built the State wasn't overly interested   
in the comfort of their soldiers," Garak said ruefully as he took out his   
toothbrush and activated it so that the small laser bristles appeared and   
began to hum. He started to scrub, feeling the warm sensation and vibration   
of the light as it cleaned and disinfected his mouth thoroughly. When he was   
done, he filled one of the small disposable cups near the sink with water   
and rinsed his mouth. "Do you suppose it would be strange if we asked Merel   
if we could come back here on our honeymoon?"

Julian chuckled as he scrubbed his underarms vigorously, "I think that   
honeymooning in a monastery, even one as nice as this, is a bit   
inappropriate

"Oh well, wherever we go I hope it's warm and has real water plumbing."

"Risa?"

"Not Risa! I refuse to honeymoon in the same place you used to break up with   
your girlfriend."

"What's that?" Julian asked.

"Leeta. You broke up with her on Risa, remember?" Garak said frowning at   
him.

"Oh right," Julian shrugged. "I guess that Risa is off the list then."

"You forgot about that trip?" He asked, looking at the doctor curiously.

"It slipped my mind," he said seemingly unconcerned. "I don't think much   
about Leeta and that time of my life anymore."

Garak watched as he activated the drain and got out of the tub, wrapping a   
towel around his waist as well. "Really? I thought you were still on   
friendly terms."

"We are," Julian said coming up from behind Garak and wrapping his arms   
around his waist before kissing his shoulder gently, "but she doesn't occupy   
my thoughts anymore. You're the only lover I need or want, remember?"

Garak allowed the small warning tickle at the back of his brain fade away as   
he leaned back and soaked up the heat of the man he loved. "I hate that you   
chose to say something like that now of all times."

"Why?"

"Because I'm too damned tired to do anything about it," Garak complained.

Julian chuckled and patted Garak on the behind before reaching into the bag   
for his own toothbrush. "Go lie down on the bed and I'll be there in a   
minute."

Garak started to the room then stopped. He turned and drank in the sight of   
Julian scrubbing his teeth in front of the mirror, his black curls clinging   
messily to his forehead and the white towel slung low on his hips.

"What?" Julian asked, his mouth full.

"I love you."

"I know that already."

"No," Garak said softly, "I mean I don't just love you or the passion or the   
company; I love this."

"What do you mean?" Julian asked picking up his cup and swishing the water   
in his mouth before spitting it in the sink.

"I love being intimate with you."

Julian quirked an eyebrow at him then turned around with a curious smile,   
"You're across the room, love. I pride myself on being decently endowed but   
I can't reach that far on my best day."

Garak rolled his eyes, "Not sex, you beautiful idiot--intimacy. I mean I   
love these kinds of moments." He sighed, "I think that's the hardest part of   
exile, at least for me it has been."

"Lack of intimacy?" Julian asked.

"Lack of someone sharing all the little in between times, yes."

"I'm here." Julian said walking to him and kissing him softly. "I'm not   
going anywhere."

"I know." Garak allowed himself to be held, soaking in the other man's   
strength as he allowed all of his fears and obsessions to melt away.

"Now," Julian said pulling away slightly, "go get on the bed so I can look   
at you and make sure you haven't done any more damage to yourself. We still   
have a murder to solve, remember?"

"The sooner the better," Garak said walking toward the bed. "First a good   
night's sleep for us, then we put this mystery to bed tomorrow."

"You think we can really pull this off before Odo has to charge Shakaar?"   
Julian asked.

"I'm counting on it."

\--ooOoo-

"Um, Representative Krath?"

//I asked that I not be disturbed.//

"Yes sir," the receptionist answered nervously as she stared at the two men   
standing in front of her desk, "but there are two prylars here who wish to   
speak to you. They say it's important."

//Prylars?//

"Yes sir, from..."

"The Ministry of the Forgotten Children," Garak reminded her softly.

"The Ministry of the Forgotten Children, sir. They said that Vedek Merel   
sent them."

//Merel? Send them right in.//

"Yes sir." The young Bajoran woman got up from her desk and escorted the two   
men through the double doors behind her into Krath Milnar's office.

Garak looked around the spacious room curiously. In only a few short years,   
Krath Milnar, a self-made businessman, had amassed a large fortune on Bajor   
by manufacturing high quality food replicators and sub-space comm units   
which were financially accessible to the general public.

The room was very large and comfortably furnished in a style which was   
neither traditionally Bajoran nor did it have the glorious excess of the   
Cardassian eye. Instead it was minimalist yet warm; almost Japanese in its   
presentation with its focus being on the dwarf Huppa trees on the edges of   
the room and the functional yet aesthetically pleasing office furniture with   
its clean lines and soft palette. This struck Garak as ironic since Krath   
Milnar was no fan of the Federation or any of its cultures. In fact, other   
than his campaign promise of setting up a free trade agreement so that   
Bajoran manufacturers and artisans could sell their products without having   
to go through Ferengi or other distributors, he was completely against Bajor   
being assimilated into the Federation of Planets.

Krath rose from his desk where he had been eating lunch with a formidable   
looking woman that Garak knew from his research was his wife, Krath Rushka.   
Tall and broad in shoulder, Rushka was not a conventionally beautiful woman,   
but she was handsome and somewhat imperious in the way she held herself as   
she examined her husband's unexpected guests. For a moment, Garak allowed   
himself to imagine that she was a Cardassian in disguise but quickly   
disregarded that idea after looking at her outfit. No Cardassian woman of   
breeding would ever wear a mid-calf skirt suit and sensible heels.

"Gentlemen," Krath greeted after wiping his mouth on a linen napkin, "please   
join us. Would you care for something to eat or drink?" He smiled   
apologetically, "Between the campaign and my duties here, the only meals I   
get to share with my wife these days are at my desk."

Julian opened his mouth to politely refuse but Garak beat him to it,   
"Actually, a nice cup of tea would be nice and perhaps a small pastry? It's   
been a while since breakfast."

"And you, Prylar?" The receptionist asked turning to Julian.

"The same, but I'll just have the tea if you please. I haven't an appetite   
right now." Julian said, his eyes flashing as he met Garak's own amused   
look.

"How do you take it?"

"Tarkelian tea please, extra sweet for both of us," Julian's small   
triumphant grin let Garak know he was getting a bit of revenge.

Garak's smile faltered slightly as he realized he was going to be forced to   
drink something so sickeningly sweet, but he nodded to the receptionist in   
confirmation all the same.

"Would you care to sit down?" Krath asked.

Garak and Julian both took their seats on the low backed leather chairs   
situated in front of the Representative's large glass-topped desk. Behind   
him a massive window overlooked the Jalanda City skyline, the largest city   
in Dahkur Province. "What a wonderful view," Garak complimented. "It must be   
wonderful to be able to stare out over the city while you work."

Krath looked over his shoulder. "That's what I thought when I designed this   
office, but nowadays my nose is buried so deep in a PADD with all the   
speeches I have to memorize and contracts I have to go over I don't even   
have time to notice. If it wasn't for my wife making sure I got my meals   
sent in, I'd probably starve." He gestured for his wife to come forward,   
"Where are my manners? This is Rushka, my wife and business partner."

"Good afternoon," Rushka greeted with a friendly yet calculating look Garak   
often associated with large man-eating creatures or Kai Winn. "And you are?"

Both men got to their feet as she approached. Garak inclined his head, "I am   
Prylar Danna and this is my fellow monk, Prylar Reven."

"Hello," Julian said in a dignified manner.

"We're representatives from the Ministry of the Forgotten Children in the   
Belava Province. Vedek Merel asked that we speak to you," the receptionist   
handed him his tea and muffin and Garak gave her a friendly grin, "Thank   
you, my dear-Vedek Merel asked that we speak to you on a matter that is most   
urgent."

"Thank you," Julian said softly accepting his refreshment as well.

"Please, sit." Krath invited as he leaned against his desk and looked from   
one to the other curiously. "Is this about a charitable contribution,   
perhaps?"

"Uh, not entirely, no." Garak looked at the receptionist pointedly and Krath   
nodded at her which signaled she should leave and close the doors behind   
her. After she was gone, Garak continued. "As you know, Vedek Merel has been   
a staunch supporter of First Minister Shakaar's re-election campaign up   
until now..."

"'Up until now'? Has she changed her mind about offering her support to the   
First Minister?" Krath asked slowly, his tone casual even though it was   
obvious that Garak had piqued his curiosity even further. Rushka also sat a   
little straighter in her chair, her eyes locked on Garak in anticipation.

"Recently, some information has come into the Vedek's possession which   
has...disturbed her greatly. To put it plainly, she has decided that based   
upon this information and the First Minister's waning interest in protecting   
the Forgotten Children of Cardassian heritage, she would be interested in   
helping you succeed him as First Minister."

"Oh really?" Krath said, slightly stunned. "I was always under the   
impression that Shakaar was dedicated to her ministry. In fact, he based his   
last campaign on the concept that those children were as much Bajoran as   
Cardassian and it was our duty to stand as a people, united."

"Empty campaign promises, I'm afraid." Garak said reluctantly. "In the four   
years since he's become First Minister we've received no more financial   
support from his office or the Provisional Government than we did before he   
became First Minister. Prylar Reven can attest to that as well."

"Oh yes," Julian said quickly. "In fact, the only medical care we have for   
the children is from Starfleet volunteers and even that is the bare minimum.   
I, myself, have become the orphanage's head physician out of necessity even   
though my background is in the veterinary arts."

"It has been most upsetting," Garak added solemnly.

"I imagine so," Krath said, his expression slightly horrified by the idea of   
a vet acting as a pediatrician.

"Still, Vedek Merel was willing to be patient and wait until after the   
election to ask the First Minister to make good on his promises, but   
then..." Garak allowed his words to hang in the air as he bit his lip in a   
subtle gesture of shame and unease.

"Tell me, what happened?" Krath urged, completely wrapped up in Garak's   
political melodrama.

Rushka had also arisen from her chair and joined her husband. Garak noted   
the lean, hungry look in her eyes that reminded him of a Riding Hound   
tracking its prey. Interesting, he noted.

"It's alright, Brother Danna," Julian said placing a hand on his lover's   
shoulder as he launched himself into the dialogue they had agreed on that   
morning. He looked at the Representative and his wife apologetically. "This   
has been understandably hard on Danna. You see," he took a breath, "Vedek   
Merel has always been very dear to him, and the shame of this scandal has   
affected him deeply."

"Scandal?" Krath frowned.

"Here," Julian said removing an Isolinear rod from his robes. "The Vedek   
sent this so she could explain it to you in her own words."

Krath accepted the data rod curiously and walked around to his desk chair   
and sat down. He pressed a button which lowered the blinds on the large   
windows, dimming the light in the room considerably. He then inserted the   
rod into his terminal and a holographic image of the Vedek floated above his   
desk.

//Representative Krath// the image said //I apologize for the way I was   
forced to approach you, however I was afraid that if I came to you myself   
that Shakaar would catch wind of it and attempt to eliminate all of the   
evidence we have gathered.//

"Evidence?" Krath asked aloud.

//I have sent my two most trusted representatives to you on the hopes that   
justice may be done. I have received indisputable evidence that First   
Minister Shakaar seduced my only niece and left her with child before   
abandoning her in a most despicable way. Shakaar's many indiscretions   
throughout his time in the Resistance were known to me, but his behavior in   
this situation has convinced me he is not the right man to lead Bajor into a   
new dawn. I have decided to back your campaign and hope you will lend me   
your support in seeing to it that the person responsible for hurting my   
niece is made accountable for his actions.//

The image faded and Krath hit the button on his desk so that the blinds   
opened up, allowing the sunlight to stream in once more. "I'm not sure   
exactly what the good Vedek expects me to do about this," he asked with a   
frown. "What does his seducing her niece have to do with my campaign?"

Garak made a show of blinking his eyes in surprise, "But Representative   
Krath, can't you see what this means? Shakaar Edon is a cad, and worse! In   
fact, he's a-!"

Krath cut him off, "Shakaar is a single man and I'm assuming this niece is   
of age, so what crime is he guilty of? As much as I dislike Shakaar's   
policies, I'm not about to smear the man's reputation over some affair he   
had with a woman, no matter who she's related to."

"But Representative-" Julian tried to cut in.

Krath waved him away, "No, I'm sorry Prylar Reven, I don't want to hear   
anymore about this. Despite the fact that Kai Winn has offered her political   
support to my campaign and I have taken the position that Bajor should take   
care of Bajor first and foremost, I am not a conservative zealot. I am not   
Jaro Essa and the Bajor First party is not associated with The Alliance for   
Global Unity. I do not see the office of First Minister as some moral high   
ground with which to punish Bajorans for what I may or may not see as moral   
turpitude." He folded his hands in irritation and eyed both men with   
distaste. "If Vedek Merel wishes to back my agenda, based on real issues,   
then I am more than happy to welcome her into my camp-however, I am not   
interested in leaking this information to the global press just to glean the   
votes of a few conservatives who view premarital sex as an affront to the   
Prophets."

"But Milnar," Rushka said, imploringly, "perhaps if you thought about this a   
bit longer-"

"No, Rushka, I've told you and Hali both how I feel about these sort of   
tactics. I met with Shakaar and we agreed to keep this election on point and   
I will not hear anything more about it!" His face was flushed with anger as   
he rebuked his wife who tightened her mouth in frustration but did not   
contradict him. "Now gentlemen, if you will excuse me I would like to finish   
my lunch."

"Good afternoon, Representative." Garak said quietly as he arose from his   
chair leaving his tea untouched. Julian joined him and they both solemnly   
exited the office and headed toward the turbolift.

As soon as the doors closed, Julian turned to Garak. "This was a big waste   
of time, not to mention the fact that you could have caused yourself   
permanent physical damage over this-this-" he rolled his eyes, "whatever the   
hell this is."

"What do you mean?" Garak asked calmly. "As I see it, everything is going   
according to plan perfectly."

"Are you kidding me?" Julian burst out.

"Keep your voice down," Garak ordered as the turbolift doors opened and they   
exited into the lobby.

"Garak, the man didn't do it. You heard him," he added in a sotto voice, "he   
doesn't want anything to do with a scandal. In fact," Julian said with a   
raised eyebrow, "if I were a Bajoran I'd probably vote for him based on that   
fact alone. I have to say that so far I like him far better than Shakaar   
despite his reluctance to join the Federation."

"Don't let Captain Sisko hear you say that," Garak warned in amusement.   
"Besides, the game's not over yet. Not until all of the players have taken   
to the stage and made their final bows."

"Who else could be behind it?" Julian asked confused. "We suspect that Hali   
woman has something to do with this but her only motive would be to further   
Krath's campaign. If Krath isn't interested in creating a sex scandal, her   
motive disappears."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you."

"But Garak, Krath said-"

"My dear man, I never would have pegged you for such a sexist. I thought   
that Federation ideals were beyond such primitive concepts. Why it's simply   
scandalous!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Julian asked as they stepped onto the   
street.

"Excuse me! Prylar Danna! Prylar Reven-wait!"

Garak's eyes twinkled in triumph as he turned to see Krath Milnar's   
receptionist hurrying toward them. "Yes, my child?"

The young woman, winded from her exertions, handed Garak a small business   
card. "Mrs. Krath wanted me to give this to you. She said she'd like to   
speak to you again this afternoon with Representative Krath's Chief of Staff   
if you have time." She took a gulp of air, "The card has the address of   
Hali/Meenks corporate offices on it and she asked that you meet them both   
there at six o'clock to discuss some donations to your ministry."

"Tell Mrs. Krath that we would be delighted to meet her and her associate   
there and that the blessings of the Prophets are upon her." Garak said   
smoothly as he pocketed the card.

The girl nodded her head enthusiastically and then looked at Garak in   
anticipation.

"Oh, yes." He reached out and caressed her ear gently, "Go with the light of   
the Prophets upon you, my child."

Julian cleared his throat and gave Garak a glance that spoke volumes before   
the girl turned to him as well, "Oh, uh, what he said. Prophets bless you,   
my...dear."

The girl nodded at them both happily then scurried back to her office.

"Very nicely played, my love." Garak chuckled.

"Oh shut up." Julian said grumpily as he followed Garak down the street.

"Now that's not nice!" He pouted in mock seriousness. "Didn't you know that   
prylars are supposed to represent dignity and love?"

"Fuck you very much as well." He said without heat. "That's what you meant   
when you accused me of being sexist? That the real power is the woman behind   
the man?"

"Not 'woman', my darling, 'women'." Garak corrected him. "Never   
underestimate the 'gentler' sex. Women are the fiercest hunters, the most   
feared predators, and the greatest of diabolical strategists in all of   
nature."

"Then why are you attracted to men?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Garak quirked an eyeridge at him.

"So now what?" Julian chuckled, "Do you want to get some lunch and ask for   
the clergy discount? We have plenty of time to fill before six."

Garak appeared to ponder that for a moment. "No, not right now. First I   
think we need to make a quick stop and do what we do best."

"Which is?"

"What do you think it is?" Garak asked with a wide grin.

"The mind boggles! I give up." Julian returned. "What?"

"We go snooping."


	11. Into The Lion's Den

\---  
Chapter 11: Into The Lion's Den  
\---

"Why do I let you talk me into these things?" Julian whispered furiously.

"Because I'm irresistible." Garak answered as he bypassed the security codes   
to the door. "Ah!" The heavy door swung open and Garak turned toward the   
doctor with a flourish, "After you, my dear."

Julian scowled and walked into the penthouse apartment slowly, looking   
around carefully for any security devices. "What about surveillance   
equipment or armed guard response? I still think we're going to get caught."

Garak rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him. "It's not like this is   
my first time breaking into someone's residence, Julian. I researched the   
building schematics thoroughly before we even came here and other than the   
door code and the guards on the first floor, there are no other security   
measures." Garak sniffed derisively, "Rather slip-shod if you ask me, but   
then again, Bajorans never did appreciate virtues of paranoia."

"Damn them and their well adjusted attitudes," Julian said dramatically then   
snorted. "Anyway, it's been seven weeks since Sinles died. If this woman is   
smart enough to build her own successful business and hook up with a   
politician like Krath, what makes you think she'd keep the evidence in her   
home after all this time?"

"I don't think she would." Garak shrugged looking around and admiring the   
modern furnishings and high ceilings of her penthouse. "Very nice...ooh, a   
fireplace!"

"Garak!"

The tailor turned to his companion, "Hmm?"

Julian crossed his arms and scowled, "We're not here to view an open   
house-we're breaking and entering and a man's life is on the line. Do try to   
pay attention, won't you?"

"Spoilsport," Garak muttered before walking into the open kitchen area and   
admiring the large high-end replicator unit. "Oh, this is fabulous. Even if   
this woman is a murderer she has excellent taste!"

"Good lord, you're insufferable!" Julian groaned.

"Seriously," Garak said looking at him and pointing to the sleek appliances,   
"if I wasn't completely devoted to you I'd be tempted to court this woman."

"Just...get on with it, will you?" Julian said, sitting at the bar and   
propping his head in his hands. "I just know this Hali woman is going to   
walk in on us and then we're going to wind up sharing a cell with Shakaar."

Garak merely rolled his eyes dismissively then turned to the Replicator   
unit. "One large Tarkelian tea, extra hot and extra sweet and one large   
Raktajino, steamed with jacarine peel-no sugar."

"So now we're just going to sit here and drink coffee in this woman's house   
all day?" Julian asked wearily.

"I'm drinking coffee, you're drinking tea." Garak said placing it in front   
of him.

"Shouldn't we search her home office or something? Look for a safe?"

"Why should we?" Garak asked. "She'd never keep anything we could use in a   
safe. No, she'd dispose of it immediately."

"Then why are we here?" Julian repeated in exasperation. "If you wanted   
coffee I could have bought you one at a restaurant somewhere. And besides,"   
he added, "wasn't it you who said to never go into the lion's den for   
information when you could access it just as well from a remote terminal?"

"Under normal circumstances, yes, but her replicator unit isn't hooked into   
any networks that I can access from a remote terminal."

Julian put his cup down heavily and looked at him in disgust, "So you're   
telling me that the reason you dragged me up here really was just so you   
could fiddle with her replicator? My god, you really are a cheapskate,   
Garak! I have an expense account; we could have-"

"Think about it for a minute," Garak said cutting him off. "If you had   
evidence you needed to dispose of quickly and in the privacy of your own   
home how would you do it?"

"Erase it from my computer's memory." Julian answered sipping his tea.

"What if it wasn't on your computer? What if it was some other kind of   
evidence like holoimages or isolinear rods that you couldn't erase easily,   
what then?"

"I'd...." He thought about that for a minute. "You think she disposed of it   
in the replicator? What makes you think she didn't use the recycler   
instead?"

"This is a very old building which once housed upper-class military officers   
and their families during the Occupation. It was quite the fashion at the   
time to keep servants to take care of that sort of thing, therefore the   
building was not designed with individual recycler units. Each floor has a   
garbage chute leading to the basement. The discarded trash is stored and   
eventually used as an energy source for the building."

"So you're saying she couldn't just walk down the hall and toss it down a   
chute?" Julian asked with a shrug.

Garak waved his hand in a sweeping gesture, "Look at this apartment, my   
dear. This woman isn't the type to haul her own trash and toss it down a   
chute! She's the type of person who hires people for that sort of thing and   
she certainly would never dispose of potentially damaging materials without   
being absolutely certain they had been destroyed!"

Julian looked unimpressed. "You hacked into her financial records and found   
out she had a cleaning service on retainer or something, didn't you?"

"Three times a week...and every other weekend." Garak admitted.

"You couldn't just tell me that, could you?" He said rolling his eyes.   
"Okay, so theoretically if she had something that could be used as evidence   
she would have tossed it into the replicator and disposed of it. What makes   
you think she'd even keep it here? She has an office downtown, why couldn't   
she have disposed of it there?"

"I'm not saying she didn't. I just can't break into her office and root   
around as easily." Garak said before turning to the replicator and pulling   
the panel off the wall to examine the internal components.

"Oh Christ, now you're going to tear her replicator apart? Damn it, man."

"I'm examining it, that's all." Garak explained as he perused the circuitry   
with a practiced eye.

"So tell me, is the evidence in there?" Julian asked sarcastically as he   
drank his tea.

"That's what I'm looking for," Garak said distractedly. "I'll tell you one   
thing, Krath Milnar makes a very fine product."

"I'm sure he'd be very flattered to know you think so."

"Aha!"

"What?" Julian asked sitting up a little straighter.

"Watch and learn, my dear!" Garak crowed in triumph as he snapped the panel   
back into place and then activated the menu display.

He punched a few buttons then scrolled through the list. "No, no, no, not   
that one-stop! Now that is interesting." Garak ran his finger over the   
digital display, highlighting some script then gave the command,   
"Reintegrate."

The replicator hummed and on the pad a stack of leather bound journals and   
scrapbooks appeared.

"What the-" Julian jumped up and walked around the bar to look closer. "How   
in the hell did you do that?"

"Krath Manufacturing really does live up to their advertising." Garak said   
appreciatively.

"What are you, the company spokesman all of a sudden? How did you do that?"   
Julian demanded.

"Simple." Garak said, gathering the materials and spreading them out on the   
bar. "You do know already that replicators and transporters are basically   
the same; they both break objects down to their most basic molecular levels,   
absorb the information into a buffer, and then rematerialize whatever it is   
on a pad."

"Yes, but once something is recycled into the replicator it's gone-the   
buffer doesn't keep the information." Julian pointed out.

"Not so," Garak said wagging a finger at his lover like he was a professor   
talking to a particularly dim student. "This particular replicator is quite   
advanced. It's designed for large dinner parties and whatnot, so, on the off   
chance that some china or a serving platter was inadvertently disposed of,   
Krath designed a back up system so that it could be instantly recalled."

"You figured that out by looking at a tangle of wires behind the display   
panel?" Julian asked with disbelief evident in his voice.

"No, I figured that out by reading the product pamphlet in the lobby of his   
office."

"Oh."

Garak turned back to the replicator and popped the panel back off so he   
could restore the replicator to its original configuration.

"Now what?" Julian asked.

"What do you mean?" Garak popped the panel back into place and held out his   
hand for Julian to pass him their used cups.

"Well, I'm assuming you want to go through all of this-whatever this is,   
right?" Julian asked gesturing at the pile of objects littering the counter.

"You assume correctly." Garak answered as he disposed of their mess.

"We can't exactly walk out of here with all of this. The guards saw us come   
in empty handed and there's just so much one can hide under these robes." He   
lifted up his vestments doubtfully. "What do you propose we do now?"

"Well," Garak said turning to his companion with a far-away expression, "we   
could just stay here, order in, watch something on the holovid, get cozy by   
the fire..."

Julian narrowed his eyes, "We're breaking and entering in some stranger's   
home and now you want to take up residence here?"

"Or," Garak continued as though he hadn't been interrupted, "we could sneak   
our bounty out using nothing but our wits and the materials at hand."

"Which are?" Julian inquired dubiously.

"Watch and learn, my dear boy, watch and learn..." He turned toward the   
replicator and entered a set of commands.

\--ooOoo-

The security officer watched the two prylars exit the lifts and eyed the   
hybrid with distrust. A Cardie was a Cardie, he thought, even when they have   
just enough Bajoran in them to make them somewhat tolerable. The fact that   
this one was a monk didn't make up for his dubious heritage.

As the hybrid and his tall, dark haired companion walked toward him he   
noticed that they were both carrying canvas totes. He tried to remember if   
they had them when they came in, but he was fairly certain they didn't.

"Sorry gentlemen," he said stepping in front of them, "but I have to check   
your bags. Procedure; I'm sure you understand."

"Not at all, my child." The hybrid said graciously then opened his tote to   
reveal several leather bound volumes of Bajoran meditations. "In fact,   
perhaps you'd like to donate to our mission and accept one of these prayer   
books with our thanks. The children need any support you can afford to   
give."

"Or perhaps you'd like to buy some cookies?" The dark haired Bajoran monk   
opened his tote as well to reveal several brightly colored baggies. "We're   
trying to raise money so that our Temple class can go on a field trip."

"We have thin mints..." The half-Cardie said in a sing-song tone.

"Uh, no. No, thank you. I, uh, already gave earlier." The guard stepped   
back.

"You're sure?" The taller one asked with a cheery grin.

"Positive." He held open the door for them, "You gentlemen have a good day   
and, uh, good luck with selling your cookies."

"Prophets bless you, my child." The hybrid offered as they left the   
building.

"What was that all about?"

The guard turned to his partner who was just stepping out of the men's room   
adjacent to the lobby. "Nothing, just a couple of prylars looking to get   
some 'donations'."

"Prophets save us from all these priests trying to sell something." The   
other man muttered as he sipped some water from the drinking fountain.   
"Bunch of damn thieves if you ask me."

"You said it."

\--ooOoo-

"Prylar Danna, Prylar Reven, so good of you to come." Krath Rushka greeted   
them before ushering them into the room. "I was afraid you'd refuse after   
the way my husband treated you."

"Not at all, my dear lady." Garak said smoothly. "I fully understand how it   
must have appeared to a man of such high principles as your husband. I only   
wish he had allowed us more time to fully explain the situation."

"I'm so glad you understand. I'd like to introduce you to my husband's Chief   
of Staff and publicist, Hali Tafan."

"Ms. Hali," Garak said bowing slightly.

"So glad to finally meet you both. Rushka explained to me why you were   
coming," Hali said with a cool confidence. "I so look forward to meeting   
with Vedek Merel. Is there any chance that she'd meet with us without the   
Representative?"

"He'd rather not be directly involved with this matter." Rushka added, "As   
you can probably understand, he prefers to be seen as a candidate who   
doesn't sully his hands with this sort of thing, but we have every intention   
of seeing to it that Shakaar Edon is held responsible for what he has done."   
Rushka added. "You may speak to me as though you were speaking directly to   
my husband."

Garak had been surreptitiously examining Hali Tafan since he had walked   
through the door. Tall, pale, and as lean as a riding hound, her predatory   
eyes gleamed with unfettered ambition and a glacial hardness that spoke   
volumes to Garak's experienced eye.

Too bad she and Dukat had never met; this woman would be perfect for him.

Julian, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "The Vedek wishes to   
meet with both of you as well. However, for much the same reasons as   
Representative Krath, she is not comfortable with meeting you here on Bajor.   
Too great a chance of public exposure, you understand."

"Absolutely." Rushka agreed. "Perhaps then we could meet her somewhere less   
open to discuss these matters, then?"

"Elections are at the end of this week," Hali added carefully. "I'm sure   
none of us want to see the wrong man get elected into public office, do we?"

"We are all of the same mind in that regard," Garak said with an easy smile.   
"The Vedek wishes you to meet her tonight at 2200 hours on Deep Space Nine   
in the Temple on the Promenade. This way you will be able to discuss all of   
this openly and if anyone inquires about your trip you can claim that you   
were making a pilgrimage to the Celestial Temple so you could pray for your   
husband's victory."

Rushka considered that with a raised eyebrow, then said, "That's...not a bad   
idea actually. Your Vedek Merel is a clever woman."

"She has said the same of you and your associate." Garak complimented them.   
"She has heard much about both of you from several different sources and it   
is fairly obvious to her exactly who is the power behind your husband's   
campaign."

Julian touched Garak's arm lightly then turned to the ladies, "If you will   
excuse us, we must return to the Capital Temple for evening prayers, but we   
will be joining you on the station along with Vedek Merel. The Prophets   
blessings on you both."

"Safe journey," Garak nodded and headed out the door.

"To you both as well!" Rushka called out to them as they headed toward the   
lifts.

Garak and Julian walked into the turbolift and as soon as the doors closed   
the tailor addressed his companion. "Are you ready to finish this?"

"Absolutely," Julian said with a triumphant smile. "More than ready in   
fact."

"So am I, my dear, so am I...."


	12. Confessions

\---  
Chapter 12: Confessions  
\---

 

The Temple was dimly lit and very warm which Garak found to be quite   
comfortable while Julian, who was kneeling next to him, kept tugging at his   
robes and muttering about the excessive heat. Most of the light was provided   
by the prayer candles lining the walls which flickered and danced due to the   
slight breeze caused by the station's air reclamation system. He found   
himself growing a bit sleepy in the pleasant stillness of the Temple and   
couldn't help but yawn every so often. Unfortunately, whenever he did so,   
the Bajoran 'earring' he was wearing bit unpleasantly into his still sore   
ear. Also, the chains and religious symbols that dangled from it further   
irritated him by tickling his overly sensitive scales in such a way as to   
make him itch almost unbearably. He reached up and scratched at the shell of   
his ear and tried to adjust the bite of the ear cuff.

"Stop that." Julian said quietly beside him.

"It's bothering me." Garak complained, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You'll tear your skin--it hasn't healed yet." Julian warned.

"What time is it?" Garak asked, ignoring his advice.

"It's nearly time for them to be here. Where's Merel?"

"Waiting in the priest's ready room for us to join her." Garak said as he   
lifted his hand to tug at his earlobe again.

"Stop it!" Julian hissed, nudging him with a hard elbow.

"It *itches*." Garak bitched.

"I wish you'd both just stop talking altogether." Odo's disembodied voice   
broke in gruffly.

Julian shook his head in frustration as he glanced at the Temple doors. "I   
hate this! Do you realize that if they show up and we can't get them to   
confess, all the evidence we gathered from Hali's penthouse is useless?"

"Why?" Garak asked quietly as he shifted his weight from one knee to the   
other. You'd think the Prophets would provide the faithful with kneepads or   
something, he thought. The least they could have done is use some of those   
charitable donations for some decent carpet padding.

Maybe taking up religion wasn't such a good idea after all.

"We didn't have a search warrant or probable cause," Julian sighed. "In   
fact, we committed a crime by just being there."

"Did you resign your commission?" Garak asked.

"What?"

"Are you a member of the Bajoran Militia now?"

"No," Julian frowned. "What are you going on about?"

"If you aren't a law enforcement official then you don't need a warrant to   
gather evidence, now do you? Besides," he added, "she had disposed of   
everything we obtained from her apartment which means she didn't want them   
anymore. That, by Bajoran law, makes it fair game and does not require a   
warrant."

"Is that true, Odo?" Julian asked.

"Technically...yes." The unseen Odo agreed tersely. "Now will you two be   
quiet! This is not the time to engage in idol chit-chat!"

"But we were still breaking and entering." Julian pointed out, ignoring Odo.

"She invited us over." Garak shrugged.

"No, she didn't."

"Yes, she did."

"Garak, we hadn't even met her when we broke into her apartment, how could   
she invite us anywhere?" Julian asked, exasperated.

Garak sighed, "She sent the receptionist with the business card and told us   
to meet her at six o'clock, remember?"

Julian scowled at him, "That was Krath Ruksha and she invited us to Hali's   
corporate headquarters, not her home, and we were there, rooting around for   
evidence, much earlier than six o'clock."

"So we were early."

"Garak..."

"I misunderstood what she meant and didn't realize that Ms. Hali wanted us   
to go to her business office and not her home until we had already arrived.   
By that time, as you may recall, we were both quite thirsty." Garak's sighed   
in frustration as he resisted tugging at his ear again. "She wouldn't   
begrudge a couple of prylars a simple cup of tea, would she? So, knowing   
that she would want to be hospitable, we invited ourselves in and used her   
replicator. Who knew that some wires would get crossed and instead of our   
cups being refilled we received a bunch of...well, you know the rest."

"Do you honestly think that anyone would ever believe any of that crap in a   
million years?" Julian asked drily.

"I don't know. Odo? What do you think?"

"I think that if you both don't shut up you're going to ruin this whole   
thing before it gets started." Odo's voice invisibly chastised them.

"See? Even Odo believes me." Garak whispered confidently.

"No, I don't." Odo contradicted.

"See?" Julian said.

"However, as long as Mr. Garak is willing to sign a sworn statement to that   
effect and Captain Sisko is fine with it I suppose I'll have no other choice   
but to accept it." Odo rejoined. "Now that's enough! Not another word!"

They remained quiet for a few minutes until Julian whispered, "Even if the   
courts buy that, there's still one major flaw in your logic, Garak."

Garak sighed, "And what is that, my dear?"

"Although she probably wouldn't begrudge a couple of prylars a simple cup of   
tea, *we're* not prylars."

"That just a simple bit obfuscation, my dear, and completely irrelevant to   
the case at hand." Garak shrugged.

"Why do I find you so damned attractive? You are completely amoral." Julian   
grumbled.

"It's because of my good looks and incredible stamina." Garak smirked.

"I...really don't want to hear this." Odo grumbled.

"I don't know why not. You did, after all, put recording devices in my   
quarters so you could 'monitor our activities' ." Garak pointed out.

"I told you that was an accident!"

"Keep your voice down, Odo. You're supposed to be concentrating on the job   
at hand, remember?" Julian said archly.

"In my opinion, doctor, Mr. Garak has not been a good influence on you." Odo   
grumbled.

"You sweet talker you." Garak purred. "Go ahead and keep whispering those   
sweet nothings in my ear-Julian won't mind."

"I truly despise you, Garak." Odo grumbled morosely.

"I can work with that."

"Enough! I think they're coming." Julian said just before the Temple doors   
opened to reveal Krath Rushka and Hali Tafan.

The two women walked up toward the altar and Julian and Garak arose to greet   
them.

"Good evening, dear ladies," Garak said with a kindly smile. "If you will   
follow us please, the Vedek is waiting for you in the back. She felt that   
you would appreciate the additional privacy."

Julian inclined his head in a dignified manner as he led them to the back of   
the Temple and opened the door, "After you, ladies."

Vedek Merel stood in the center of the room apparently studying an oil   
painting. As they entered she turned to face them, a pleasant smile lighting   
up her delicate features, "Ah, at last we meet. I'm surprised we haven't had   
the opportunity to do so before now, Mrs. Krath."

Krath Rushka stepped forward and smiled politely, "I've been looking forward   
to this as well and I am sure that given our shared goals we will have   
reason see each other quite often after today."

"Of that I have no doubt," Merel said enigmatically before turning her eyes   
to Rushka's companion. "And you must be Hali Tafan, I have heard many things   
about you, my dear."

"I am flattered, Vedek Merel. Your reputation as a competent leader and   
respected advocate for Bajor's less fortunate proceeds you as well." Hali   
said politely, her icy gaze betraying nothing as she greeted her hostess.

"I have never been one to dwell on formalities, ladies. Please," she   
gestured for them to follow her as she sat on a high backed chair on the   
other side of an antique wooden bookcase which had intricately engraved   
glass cabinets. To the side of that was a small writing desk with a water   
pitcher and several glasses . The ladies each took a seat and Garak sat down   
by Merel while Julian stood patiently behind her. When they were all   
settled, Merel gestured for Julian to pour her a glass of water from the   
tall pitcher on the desk which she accepted gracefully. "Would either of you   
care for something to drink?"

Both ladies answered with a polite, "No, thank you."

Hali was the first to speak. "I think it would be best we get right down to   
business," she said. "We need to move quickly on this information, that is   
unless you have any objections?"

"None at all," Merel said handing her glass back to Julian. "I also   
appreciate the time constraints we are under and wish to have this settled   
as quickly as possible." She folded her hands on her lap and looked Rushka   
directly in the eye. "I hope you don't mind my bluntness, Mrs. Krath, but I   
find this whole situation quite distasteful. I would have thought a woman of   
your stature would have learned to control your staff better by now."

"What?" Rushka said in surprise. "I-I'm not sure what you're talking about.   
I was under the impression that we were here to discuss Shakaar, not my   
personal staff."

"We are here to discuss both." Merel held up her hand and Julian opened a   
drawer of the desk and handed her a folder. Merel opened it and made a show   
of looking through the information carefully, "I am not unfamiliar with   
politics nor do I have a problem with taking advantage of opportunities as   
they present themselves. However, I do have a problem when such matters are   
handled this incompetently."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Rushka asked, her tone growing more   
strident.

"I'm talking about this distressing situation with my grandniece. Don't   
misunderstand me; I understand what motivated you to use Sinles as a plant   
in Shakaar's offices. It was very clever actually. The inside information   
she passed on to you allowed your husband to get the upper hand in several   
of the debates. By giving him insight into Shakaar's political strategies it   
made you invaluable to your husband." Merel's eyes were sharp and knowing as   
she continued her verbal assault. "He probably never even realized how you   
got your information, he just took it at face value. I even understand why   
you continued after she began sleeping with the First Minister. After all,   
if the girl was stupid enough to sleep with him that was her business and it   
was an opportunity you would be a fool to pass up on."

"I never..." Rushka began.

"Don't bother denying it. In fact it's one of the things I like most about   
you," Merel shrugged. "It shows that you are a woman of great intellect and   
pragmatism. It should be you running for office, not your husband. My   
niece's stupidity is not your fault in the slightest."

"Do you have proof of any of this?" Hali asked as though she didn't care one   
way or another.

"I do," Merel said, looking her in the eye.

"Yet you asked that we both meet you here-why?" Hali asked.

"Because I also believe in taking advantage of situations as they present   
themselves." Merel answered then handed the folder back to Julian.

"What do you want?" Rushka asked coldly.

"To see to it that the right person pays for what was done to my niece."   
Merel answered simply. "It was Shakaar's decision to seduce Sinles and get   
her pregnant. If he has to pay for that with his career, so be it."

Rushka squared her shoulders, "So you still want to go ahead with leaking   
this information to the press?"

"I want to do much more than that, Mrs. Krath. I want the person who   
destroyed my niece prosecuted for what they have done," she answered, her   
face hard.

Rushka shook her head in confusion, "Admittedly, abandoning a pregnant girl   
is awful but not a crime. If Sinles wants, my foundation would be willing to   
pay her legal expenses and sue Shakaar for child support as well as sexual   
harassment, but that's still a civil matter in Bajoran courts, not   
criminal."

"I'm afraid Sinles won't be able to do that," Garak broke in.

"Why not?" Rushka said looking from him to Merel curiously before smiling   
slightly in understanding. "Oh, because of the stigma attached to her status   
as an unwed mother? She has nothing to worry about. When we're done the   
press will love her, and besides, these days unwed mothers are commonplace."

"And her criminal record?" Garak asked slowly.

"You know about that?" Rushka asked.

"There is very little I, or my people, don't know," Merel responded, her   
eyes flashing.

Garak glanced briefly at Hali, gauging her reaction to Merel's statement.   
She stiffened in her chair, alert, but not panicking, watching Merel and   
Garak carefully.

Despite himself, he couldn't help but admire her self-control. Rarely had   
Garak had to expend so much energy in the pursuit of an investigation. Until   
now, he had worried that perhaps he was losing his edge when they had   
encountered one false lead after another. Examining Hali Tafan's confident   
mannerisms and sharp gaze, he realized it wasn't his age catching up to him,   
but instead it was because he had been dealing with a most worthy adversary.

Well played, my dear, he congratulated silently.

"I am quickly beginning to find that out." Rushka complimented her. "I   
destroyed any evidence of her unfortunate past soon after she came to work   
for me. There is no paper trail to associate her with anything she may have   
done as an adolescent and, on the off chance someone did find something, she   
was living under an alias at the time."

"You are a very resourceful woman, indeed." Merel said slowly.   
"Unfortunately, Prylar Danna was not referring to any alleged past   
indiscretions or her unwed status."

"She's not still in love with Shakaar is she?" Rushka laughed in derision   
then turned to Hali, "I thought you said you had talked her out of that   
nonsense?"

Hali didn't answer her, choosing instead to address Merel, "The last time I   
saw Sinles she was leaving Shakaar. She told me that he had been abusive and   
that she was planning on going into hiding because he had threatened to kill   
her if she didn't have an abortion. I doubt she would want to go back to him   
after that."

Rushka tutted under breath, "Poor dear. If she is afraid of Shakaar I can   
assure you that I will personally see to it she is protected. After the   
election, I'm sure we can see to it that she is given a home and a   
comfortable income to provide for her and the child."

"I'm afraid there is no child anymore, Mrs. Krath," Merel said.

"She lost the baby?" Rushka asked, her voice dripping with sympathy. "That   
poor girl. No matter, Shakaar still owes her recompense and my offer still   
stands. I'll even find a place for her on my personal staff if she would   
like."

"She's dead." Merel said bluntly.

Krath Rushka stared at them in open-mouthed shock. "Dead?" she asked, her   
voice weak.

"She died seven weeks ago," Julian said handing her a PADD.

Rushka looked at the image of Sinles's mangled and desiccated corpse and   
flinched, placing it face down on the low table in front of her. "Oh   
Prophets." She shut her eyes for a moment then opened them again slowly,   
"How long ago did she die again?"

"Seven weeks ago according to her autopsy," Julian repeated, watching her   
reaction as she absorbed that information.

Ruksha looked over at Hali, whose steady gaze and cool, unruffled appearance   
was at odds with the information Merel had just presented. She turned back   
to Merel, "I see...I had no idea Sinles was suicidal. I assure you that had   
known she had emotional problems I would have gotten her the help she   
needed."

"It was murder, not suicide," Julian corrected her.

"Mur-murder?" Rushka was taken aback then straightened her shoulders and   
took a deep breath. "Well, obviously Shakaar must have done it! He was the   
only one with enough motive and, as Hali pointed out earlier, he had a   
history of violent behavior and threats where Sinles was concerned. I assure   
you that I will see to it he pays for her death and the death of that unborn   
child!"

"You know, it's interesting that you should mention motive, because Shakaar   
wasn't the only one Sinles was romantically involved with at the time."   
Garak leaned back in his chair. "And, although it is true that Sinles was   
the victim of domestic violence and threats, they didn't come from Shakaar,   
did they Ms. Hali?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hali's voice was even and cool,   
her expression still confident.

"You were her lover, were you not?" Garak asked amiably. "We have letters   
and diaries written by Sinles documenting not only the fact that you had   
started sleeping together shortly after she joined your company but that   
during the course of your four year relationship you had become increasingly   
possessive and controlling. If nothing else, it proves that you are guilty   
of the statutory rape of a minor and sexual harassment."

"That's ridiculous," Hali gave a small laugh. "Even if we had a   
relationship, Sinles was nineteen years old."

"Yes, but she was fifteen years old when you decided to 'mentor' her." Garak   
reached for the PADD on the table and brought up Sinles's birth certificate,   
"as well you know." He handed it to Rushka.

"So? I don't deny she worked for my company and, yes, after a while we did   
grow very close. I was her sponsor and later, she stayed with me from time   
to time. However, I never 'raped' her and I wasn't the one who got her   
pregnant." Hali snorted. "Shakaar's the one who accomplished that little   
feat, not me."

"True, it was Shakaar's baby," Julian said from his position by the   
bookcase, "but he has an alibi for the night Sinles was killed and you were   
the last one seen with her."

"Circumstantial evidence at best," Hali dismissed.

"What are you getting at?" Rushka asked slowly.

"Hali is the one who sent that PADD to the Temple saying that Sinles was   
killed." Merel answered "We have journals written in Sinles's own   
handwriting stating that Hali was a controlling and jealous lover and after   
she told her she was keeping the baby and remaining with Shakaar, Hali   
threatened her."

"That's not true," Hali said sharply, her confidence beginning to break.   
"You can't prove any of that."

"Why because you disposed of the evidence?" Julian asked.

"No," she scoffed, "because there was no evidence to begin with!"

"Not so," Garak said gleefully as Julian pulled out an isolinear rod from   
the pocket of his robe, showing it to her with a flourish. "She made a   
recording of the last comm you sent her."

Hali's face hardened. "You're bluffing."

"You really should remember to clear the buffer of your replicator after   
disposing of potentially damaging evidence, my dear." Garak suggested, with   
a dangerous smile.

"You had the means, motive, and opportunity and you're the one who planted   
the evidence implicating Shakaar." Julian added. "You killed her. The only   
question now, is whether it was an accident or if it was on purpose."

"What did you do?" Rushka turned on her.

"You're the one who came to me about putting one of our people in Shakaar's   
campaign office." Hali said, snapping angrily. "If you turn on me, you'll be   
ruined as well-don't forget that."

"Now that is exactly what I meant by you having no control over your staff,"   
Merel said, her eyes glittering as she closed in for the kill. "Now, do you   
want to salvage this situation or do you want to see your husband's   
political career destroyed?"

Rushka gritted her teeth, "What do you want? Money for your mission? A   
position on my husband's cabinet? What?"

"I want justice," Merel answered. "The only question now is how do I get   
it?"

"What we are proposing is simple," Garak smiled and kept his tone casual.   
"Ms. Hali confesses that she killed Sinles and turns herself in. She can   
tell them anything she wants as long as she takes responsibility for what   
she has done. The Vedek will lobby the courts to show her mercy and we will   
call in a few favors to make certain that you and your husband are not   
implicated in the conspiracy. At the end of your husband's term, Ms. Hali   
can be pardoned and may slip into obscurity for all we care. Shakaar will   
still be humiliated in the press and if you play your cards right, you can   
say you were the one to convince Ms. Hali to co-operate with the   
authorities. She can even accept responsibility for any evidence of   
political espionage that might crop up leaving you and the Representative   
completely blameless."

"You could even offer to pay for Sinles's funeral," Julian suggested. "Start   
a foundation in her name which is dedicated to women's issues. I imagine   
that would make you and your husband look very good to the public. Perhaps   
after Krath finishes his second term you can run for First Minister with   
Vedek Merel backing you all the way. Kai Winn is beginning to fall out of   
favor in the capital. Having the endorsement of one of Bajor's most beloved   
members of clergy could make you an extremely attractive candidate. "

Rushka appeared to absorb all of this carefully before speaking. "That   
sounds like a solid plan. The Kel Sinles Foundation for Women? That could   
really work."

"You can't be serious?" Hali burst out.

"You started this mess by screwing up the situation with that girl and   
instead of coming to me immediately you compounded your stupidity by sending   
that PADD to Vedek Merel!" Rushka bit out. "Now the only way we salvage   
anything from this is if you do what you're told, and you're going to do it   
exactly as Vedek Merel has suggested. I have friends in the court system, I   
doubt you'll serve more than a couple of years if we play it right."

"I'm not going to throw my life away so you can be First Lady of Bajor!"

"You'll do it or you'll go to prison for premeditated murder." Merel's tone   
was icy.

"You can't prove anything!" Hali got to her feet and shouted. "It was an   
accident, it wasn't murder!"

"You threw her out of the shuttlecraft." Julian said stepping forward. "The   
medical evidence is overwhelming."

"She fell out!" Hali rounded on him.

"How does someone just 'fall' out of a shuttlecraft?" Julian scoffed.

"We were arguing! I told her I didn't mean what I said and that if she   
wanted to keep the baby we could raise it together-it was her fault! She   
pushed me too far! She told me-" She bit her lip and clenched her fists in   
anger.

"That she was leaving you?" Garak asked rising from his chair to stand   
slightly in front of the Vedek. "That she wanted Shakaar?"

"He didn't want her," Hali gave a humorless laugh. "I told her that Shakaar   
had bedded dozens of women just like her, she wasn't the first-she wasn't   
even the only one he was sleeping with at the time! I only wanted her to   
listen to me and then we started to struggle."

"You hit her?" Julian asked.

"No! Not-she hit me first! The next thing I know she knocked me into the   
control panel and we lost altitude. She fell back against the shuttle door   
and it opened-I had nothing to do with it!"

"She fell back against the doors and they just opened?" Garak asked quietly.

"Yes!" Hali's hands were trembling as she took a calming breath. "I fell   
back on the control panel and must have accidently pressed the hatch   
release. I was so busy trying to get the shuttle stabilized before we   
crashed that I didn't even see her falling until it was too late."

"I had nothing to do with this," Rushka said, getting out of her seat and   
backing away in order to put distance between her and Hali.

"You told me to talk some sense into her!" Hali pointed a finger at her then   
looked at Merel. "She told me to follow her and get her back-do whatever I   
had to do to make her see sense! If Rushka hadn't told me to do that Sinles   
would still be alive."

"I never-"

Hali rounded on Rushka, "You told me to do it! You said to make her go along   
with the plan!"

"I didn't tell you to kill her!" Rushka insisted.

"I didn't kill her! It was an accident-that's not a crime!"

"But you covered it up," Garak said pointedly.

"I got scared. I was confused and upset and I wasn't thinking clearly at the   
time." she said in a calmer voice avoiding his gaze.

"You planted evidence against Shakaar." Julian added.

She pointed to Rushka again, "She told me to send the Vedek the message   
about Sinles, after she died I just changed it a little. It was still her   
idea!"

"Oh, I believe you," Garak shrugged. "I'm sure this whole thing is just one   
big misunderstanding."

Hali's eyes flicked up to meet Garak's, "You believe me?"

"Absolutely," Garak reassured her. "It's obvious who planted all of the   
information and what the original plan was. You just did as you were asked."

Hali stood up a little straighter, but her expression was no longer one of   
cool confidence but of vulnerability. "That's right. It wasn't my fault. I   
loved Sinles."

"I believe you," Garak nodded, his expression kind. "I'm sure you did   
everything you could to save her from herself."

"I did! I gave her a home, I taught her how to dress, how to act in public-I   
made her!" Hali insisted. "I would never hurt Sinles!"

"And when she fell out of the shuttle I know you tried to help her but she   
was already dead. You tried to bring her back, but it was too late."

"Yes!" Hali nodded vigorously. "I landed the shuttle and tried to help her,   
but she was already gone-there was nothing I could do."

"That's funny," Julian said scratching his chin. "According to the autopsy   
it took several minutes for Sinles to succumb to her injuries. If you had   
just put a tourniquet on her leg and got her into the shuttlecraft she could   
have easily survived the trip back to the hospital in Opalas."

Hali suddenly jumped from her seat and grabbed a large silver candlestick   
from the side table, brandishing it in front of her as if it were a weapon.   
"I am not going to jail!" she hissed, her eyes blazing.

"You stupid little Bitch!" Rushka screeched at her. "Are you completely   
insane?!?"

Hali lunged for Rushka but at that moment Garak's earring shimmered and shot   
across the room. The crimson and gold liquid wrapped around Hali's arms and   
legs and held her in place.

Hali screamed, dropping the candlestick with a clatter. The liquid seemed to   
coalesce around her and grow solid, streaming into a humanoid shape until   
standing before her was Odo, his smooth features broadcasting exactly what   
he was feeling as he said, "Hali Tafan, you are under arrest for the murder   
of Kel Sinles, conspiracy, and evidence tampering-and that's just to start."

Rushka was slowly making her way toward the door trying to be as unobtrusive   
as possible, when two security guards blocked her path. Sisko and First   
Minister Shakaar joined them as the guards placed her in handcuffs. "First   
Minister! Emissary! I, uh-"

Shakaar smiled at her coldly, "Well hello Mrs. Krath. So nice to see you   
again."

\--ooOoo-

The sky was blue and clear with only a few white, fluffy clouds floating   
past the warm Bajoran sun. It was a small funeral, but still well attended   
and with an unusual number of high profile mourners. The Emissary to the   
Prophets, Captain Benjamin Sisko, laid a bouquet of irises on the coffin as   
it slowly descended into the ground. First Minister Shakaar watched with   
unconcealed sorrow as Vedek Merel finished the last prayer of Bajoran   
funerary rites, his former opponent, Krath Milnar, looking on from a short   
distance to offer his condolences and respect. There were several others in   
attendance as well; co-workers, members of the Temple, and campaign workers   
from Shakaar's staff. Many of them had never met Sinles, but were there   
instead to support the living as well as honor the dead.

Also in attendance were Dr. Julian Bashir, Garak, Constable Odo, and Major   
Kira. They remained silent and still as Shakaar tossed a handful of dirt in   
after the coffin and then stepped back, his face wet with tears.

Garak looked at the sky and thought to himself how appropriate the weather   
was for this occasion. Yes, it was indeed sad that such a young woman was   
dead, but from her passing there came clarity and purpose. His eyes landed   
on the stone arch which marked her grave and he couldn't help but smile ever   
so slightly. Across the top it read in Bajoran script:

KEL SINLES Born 13.06.2354 died 21.07.2373

SHAKAAR KEL Unborn Infant

MOTHER AND SON

"FOREVER LOVED, NEVER FORGOTTEN."

As Garak contemplated that, Julian took his hand, squeezing it tightly. He   
looked into the doctor's eyes that glowed with warmth and heard him whisper,   
"Elim Garak, you are forever loved."

Perhaps that was the whole point, Garak thought. Perhaps that was what all   
the pain, loneliness, and heartache was for; it made the in-between moments   
that much better.

In a rare display of sentimentality, the Cardassian allowed himself to   
grieve for a girl he had never known and for a life he hoped never to live   
again.

He squeezed Julian's hand back.

\--ooOoo-

Captain Sisko lifted his glass and looked over the small group that was   
gathered together in the reception room of the Capital Temple. "On Earth we   
have a tradition of celebrating the lives of the ones we have lost by coming   
together and sharing our memories over good food and drink as family and   
friends united. Please, enjoy."

As the small group began to mill about, Merel walked over to Garak and   
Julian who were talking in subdued tones with the First Minister.

"You know, Edon, I didn't have a chance to thank you. It was good of you to   
take care of Sinles's funeral," Merel said to Shakaar.

"It was...important to me--she was important to me. My only regret is that   
she never knew how much." Shakaar said slowly.

"She knew," Merel said. "But if you truly want to honor her memory then you   
have to live your life the way she wanted you to; you need to keep helping   
the people of Bajor. That's what she died protecting."

Julian looked from Shakaar to Merel, his eyes soft with emotion. "I heard   
that you were starting a foundation in Sinles's name?"

"The Kel Sinles Foundation for Women?" Merel nodded then smiled. "Yes. I   
realize it was originally just a part of the ruse we had concocted to trap   
Hali, but after I'd thought about it, the idea grew on me." Her eyes filled   
with pain, "I never got to know my niece, but perhaps I can help other young   
women who might benefit from her legacy."

Krath Milnar joined the small group with a bit of hesitation, his face   
reflecting the shame he felt at that moment. "First Minister, Vedek Merel, I   
apologize if my presence is unwelcome in your time of grief, but I just   
wanted to pay you both my respects and apologize for-"

"No apology is necessary." Merel assured him gently. "Your wife confessed   
everything, including the fact that you had no idea what was going on."

"I still bear some responsibility in all this." Krath said averting his   
eyes. "I was...not the best husband. My work consumed me to the point that I   
rarely spent time with Rushka and then when I got into politics, I never saw   
her at all unless she came to my office or joined me on the campaign trail.   
When she started taking such an avid interest in furthering my career I was   
so caught up in the whole thing that I didn't notice that she was doing it   
just to please me. Had I been a better man and husband, this never would   
have happened."

"You can't do that to yourself, Krath." Shakaar broke in. "You've already   
resigned from the election over this, don't punish yourself over what you   
might have done differently." His voice grew strained with emotion. "Believe   
me, I know what that's like."

"We're a fine trio," Merel said to her companions. "Each one of us were so   
involved with the idea of making Bajor better that we neglected our families   
in the process, but we can't dwell on that. It's not what Sinles would want   
for any of us. We need to keep going forward because right now Bajor still   
needs us."

Krath held out his hand. "I want you to know that although we have been   
political adversaries in the past, if there is anything you need, First   
Minister, I will be happy to support you."

 

Shakaar took his proffered hand in a firm grip. "What I need is someone in   
my cabinet with a strong grasp on domestic policy. Would you be interested   
in the job?"

"Are you sure?" Krath asked in surprise.

"You had some good points about expanding our economy." Shakaar nodded. "Had   
you not dropped out of the race there is still a good chance you would have   
won. You had a good grasp on the issues. I'd be honored if you'd agree to   
join me in public service for the good of Bajor."

"I accept," Krath nodded with a small smile. "Now if you will excuse me, I   
need to get back to the office. Again, my sympathies go out to you both."

Garak watched as the Representative walked away before commenting, "That was   
a very interesting strategy, First Minister. By bringing Krath Milnar into   
your administration you'll strengthen your power base and unite the dueling   
political parties in one fell swoop."

"You know what they say in politics Mr. Garak; keep your friends close and   
your enemies closer." Shakaar said softly.

"That sounds like something a Klingon would say on his honeymoon." Garak   
drawled.

"True." Shakaar admitted. "While we're clearing the air, I want to apologize   
to both you and the doctor for the way I behaved before." He looked from one   
man to the other solemnly. "What you did for me and for Sinles is something   
I could never repay with mere words. You have my eternal thanks."

"And mine as well." Merel added. "You went above and beyond what I could   
have ever asked for." She looked at Garak, examining his altered appearance   
closely. "I was just wondering if you were planning on keeping your new   
face, Mr. Garak. You look very attractive with the nose ridges."

"You think so?" Garak asked before turning to Julian. "What do you think, my   
dear? Should I cancel my appointment with Dr. Okuna and keep the nose?"

"I think I prefer your old face better." Julian laughed.

After a while the wake began to break up and as they were saying their   
farewells Julian tapped Garak on the shoulder and gestured toward the Major   
who was talking in low tones to Shakaar. "Think they'll try to make a go of   
it again?"

"They'll remain friends, but she'll never trust him enough again to have an   
actual relationship." Garak said, his tone confident.

"How can you be so sure?" Julian asked.

"Because without trust there can be no love." Garak said touching his face.

"I love you, too." Julian whispered.

Garak sighed, "I could ask Dr, Okuna to reschedule the surgery and we could   
just go straight to bed?"

"No you don't!" Julian said pushing him a little as they headed for the   
door. "I wasn't kidding before; I miss your face-the real one."

"The things I go through for love..."


	13. Epilogue

\---  
Chapter 13: Epilogue  
\---

 

Chapter 13: Epilogue

 

Julian walked into his quarters and unzipped his uniform jacket, tossing it   
on the closest chair. He walked over to the subspace comm unit and punched   
in the codes.

//I wasn't expecting to hear from you this soon. Where is Garak?//

"He's resting from surgery. I told him I needed to get some sleep and I   
wanted to call home to share the news with my family."

//What news is that?//

Julian looked at the woman on the screen and smiled broadly, "I asked Garak   
to marry me and he said yes."

Silence.

"I know it seems a bit sudden, but..."

//What about your other plans? Isn't this going to change everything?//

"Not at all. In fact, this is even better." He said with a nod. "Besides, if   
I didn't ask him to marry me now, Garak was going to leave and I couldn't   
risk losing him."

//You're sure about this then?//

"Very."

//Then you have my approval. I will continue to support any decision you   
make on this matter.//

"How is everything on your end?" Julian asked.

The female Founder on the screen appeared to be in good spirits as she   
relayed the information. //The Klingon general is still alive and quite   
hearty from what I understand. He's taught the Jem'Hadar well.//

"And Bashir?" Julian asked.

//Dr. Bashir has managed to keep Tain alive, but he's no longer of much use   
to us. The Cardassian is old and his time is coming to a close soon. Do you   
want us to dispose of him as well?//

"Keep him alive," Julian ordered. "I still need some genetic material from   
him when the time comes. I need them to believe he died in the explosion so   
I can complete my mission." He rubbed his face wearily.

//You should go regenerate.//

Julian sighed, "You're right. I've had to go days without going back into   
liquid form. You wouldn't believe how difficult it's been sleeping in a bed   
like a solid." He shuddered.

//Rest. Contact me again when you can.//

"I will."

Julian shut off the monitor and walked into the bathroom. He reached under   
the sink and pulled out a bowl then stepped into the shower stall. With a   
sigh he allowed his body to revert to its natural form and flowed into the   
bowl settling in for the night.

Within seconds he was dreaming.

He dreamt of being a part of the Great Link again, all thoughts of the   
solids disappearing from his mind except one. One face still haunted his   
thoughts.

It was the face of Garak...the man he was going to ultimately destroy.

 

THE END

 

End of the second installment of The Garak/Bashir Mysteries

Next up: Never Ending Sacrifice; A Garak/Bashir Mystery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes:
> 
> Yeah, he was a Founder both in this story and in the revised version of The   
> Cheap Date. There were hints, but in case you missed them you might want to   
> read this a second time.
> 
> The next story in this series will be The Never Ending Sacrifice; A Garak   
> and Bashir Mystery.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> -Jen


End file.
